Chatfield Freemasons Donate Fire Suppression Devices

The Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office recently received a donation of three life-saving fire suppression devices from the Chatfield Masonic Lodge and the Freemasons.
“It can make a dramatic difference in a house fire,” stated Scott Oesterlin, member of the Chatfield Masonic Lodge (Meridian Lodge No. 25), who spearheaded the project.
Oesterlin presented the devices to Fillmore County Deputy Jesse Grabau on December 20, 2023, at the Chatfield City Hall.
Together with three devices previously donated to the city of Chatfield, there are now six devices in Fillmore County. The approximate cost of each device is $1,000. The costs are shared between the local Masonic lodge, Minnesota Masonic Charities and The Grand Lodge, with each paying one-third of the cost.
“If it saves one life in the next 15 years, it’s well worth it,” commented Oesterlin.
Sheriff’s deputies will carry the devices in their squad cars. Many times deputies are on scene before the fire department, and those few minutes could make a real difference when a deputy has one of these fire suppression devices at their disposal.
Each device weighs 14 pounds and is climate proof, so deputies do not have to take the device in and out of their squad cars. They are good for 10 years before needing an inspection.
“They are pretty amazing,” stated Roger Berge, District Representative for the Minnesota Freemasons in the southeastern Minnesota area, and a member of the Minnesota Freemasons since 1999.
“And they are really easy to use,” commented Oesterlin. “You pull the pin, then the lever flips up and when you pull that, there is a little light that starts flashing and you throw it into the fire.
“From the time you pull the final pin you have eight seconds before it deploys, and there is no way to stop it,” stated Oesterlin.
“You want to be in the position you’re going to throw it from,” added Berge. “It will drop the temperature over 1,000 degrees in 38 seconds.”
“And without taking the oxygen out of the room, so it will drop the temperature down and give them the chance to get out,” continued Oesterlin.
Berge noted that a potassium based product that comes out of it, which gets between the oxygen and the flames and just stops it.
“They are another tool to hopefully save a life in the right situation. I think it’s a great thing to have for the citizens of Fillmore County,” stated Grabau, who has been trained by Berge on how to use the devices.
Berge and Oesterlin are very proud members of the Freemasons and shared information about the charitable organization.
“It is the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world,” shared Berge, noting its origination in 1853. The main goal of the Freemasons is community support and community involvement.
The Freemasons “bring guys together to help each other grow, learn and give back to the community,” explained Berge.
The Minnesota Freemasons website, mnfreemasons.org, describes the organization in the following way:
“It is a brotherhood of like-minded men who genuinely care about each other. We develop lifelong friendships with fellow Freemasons and their families, and are welcomed at Masonic lodges throughout the United States and the world.
“Freemasonry is based on the belief that everyone has a responsibility to help make the world a better place. Through our culture of philanthropy, we make a profound difference for our brothers, our families, our communities, and our future. Freemasons find satisfaction in being part of a centuries-old fraternity whose traditions and core values are important for our society today, and will endure for centuries to come.”
“There are lodges throughout the state. Chatfield has one of the more active lodges; they have been involved in everything for years in the community,” commented Berge. The Chatfield Lodge recently merged with the Preston Masonic Lodge.
“A good portion of our funding goes to cancer research,” stated Berge. An example of this charity is the well-known University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center.
“We are strict on who we let in; you have to petition to join the Masonic organization. Not everybody gets in,” said Berge. “It’s people with good character; it’s people who do the right thing even when nobody is looking.”
Freemasons are also linked with the Shriners, another well-known charitable organization. In order to be a Shriner, you must be a Master Mason.
Fillmore County residents can feel an even greater sense of security knowing that these devices are now available for deployment by our brave and devoted first responders, thanks to the Freemasons.