Volunteers with Midwest Energy Cooperative will help power up the tasting meals from fair favorite the Fireman’s Grill during the Cass County Fair this week.

From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, employees with the Cassopolis energy company will help serve food and drinks to customers at the grill, which is located on the fairgrounds, 590 N. O’Keefe St., Cassopolis. In addition, Midwest and Touchstone Energy Cooperative will match all proceeds from sales and donations at the grill that day, for up to $5,000.

The Fireman’s Grill is operated by members of the Cass County Firemen’s Association, an organization that helps raise money for equipment and training for all 13 of the county’s fire departments. Throughout fair week, which will run through Saturday, visitors are invited to stop by the eatery to purchase lunch or dinner.

The restaurant serves dishes such as hotdogs, brats, pulled pork and pork chops, served with side dishes such as potato chips, potato salad, applesauce or coleslaw.

The funds generated through the Fireman’s Grill and Midwest Tuesday will be used for purchasing equipment and training for local firefighters for the Cass County’s Active Violence Preparedness Program. Some of the equipment the association will be looking to purchase includes bullet-proof vests, first-aid kits and turnout gear, which will be assigned to local departments that need them, said Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke.

These tools will allow firefighters to respond to active shooting situations alongside police officers, Behnke said.

While prior response plans called for officers to neutralize shooters before sending in emergency personnel to treat victims, experts now recommend that firefighters and EMTs enter buildings or areas where shootings are taking place while police are still dealing with the hostile threat. First responders will enter designated “warm zones,” or places that are not under immediate danger, where they will treat victims while a team of officers provide protection.

“It all comes down to minutes,” Behnke said. “The more minutes you can shave off when responding to a shooting, the more lives you can potentially save.”

Unfortunately, getting local firefighters properly equipped and trained to respond with police during a shooting is an expensive endeavor. The sheriff estimates that it will cost between $1,000 to $1,500 to outfit a single firefighter for the job.

With that in mind, the Firemen’s Association has made it a priority this year to raise money for the program. This includes donating proceeds from fair week to the mission.

When officials with Midwest, who were looking for a way for energy co-op employees to participate in this year’s fair, learned about the association’s fundraiser, they jumped at the opportunity to lend a hand, said Amy Pales, a spokesperson with the company.

“We are grateful for everything our first responders do to protect the community,” Pales said. “We thought this event was the perfect opportunity for us to pay it forward.”

Midwest volunteers will keep track of how much money is raised during Tuesday’s event in order to encourage people to donate toward the organization’s $5,000 goal.

For more information contact Midwest Energy at (800) 492-5989 or at teammidwest.com.