At the Oct. 7 Council meeting, Mayor Mike Henke presented the Fire Committee’s recommendations for Fire Department officers to the Council from the fire committee meeting on September 25th. The Committee’s recommendations included Jody Halterman as Assistant Chief, First Fire Captain as Jeff Ryba, Second Fire Captain as Nathan Samplawski, EMS Captain to remain open, Health & Safety as Charlotte Meyer, Lieutenants as Travis Alger, Hunter Brandt, and Jacob Carroll, and Assistant Service Director as Jeff Ryba. Those individuals with no training have one year to complete the training with the course registration to be paid by the city of Stanley. Training hours will be paid after proof of passing the course is received and pay will remain at current wage until training is completed. New officer requirements include one year probation.
“Has the required training for each individual been identified?” asked Alderperson Jason Meyer. “I would say yeah,” answered Henke.
“And past experience has not grandfathered them in?” Meyer continued.
“No,” Henke replied.
“The training that they are required to have as an officer, if they don’t have it, they cannot be an acting officer and that puts the City at a liability,” stated City Administrator Nicole Pilgrim. “And if we don’t have a fire chief in town at a scene then that assistant chief will be in charge and if that one doesn’t have training, they can’t command the scene. If they do, the city is left at a liability.” Pilgrim stated that this information came from Cadott Fire Chief Rick Sommerfeld who is also the Fire Prevention Coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
“Those who are not officers cannot command the scene. If they do and something happens it gets left on the City,” said Pilgrim.
“Unless there’s no officers there,” said Henke. “If there’s no officers there, then the person that’s there can take charge and put out the house fire. Because I was worried at first if there’s none there, what happens? You still put the fire out.” He further explained that if there are no officers at the scene of a fire then other members of the volunteer fire department can still put the fire out. “It’s a volunteer fire department. There are times there’s no officer around. They still got to take care of business.”
He continued, “If there’s officers there, more than one, the ones that would run the scene would be the ones that have been trained. But if there’s none there, you still can take care of business.”
Pilgrim questioned, “My main concern is why we’re having Jody as the assistant chief and not Nate. Jody works in Chippewa, five days a week. He’s gone to the least amount of calls. He doesn’t have officer training.”
“That’s a good question,” said Alderperson Laurie Foster.
Pilgrim expressed disbelief, noting that the only EMS staff member with EMT training is not even included in the Fire Committee’s officer recommendation list.
Meyer requested the fire committee to explain their rationale for recommending Jody Halterman for the Assistant Fire Chief position in the Stanley Fire and EMS Department. Alderperson Mark Fitzsimmons answered that the discussion was because of “seniority and time on the force” and “experience with the department at that current point.”
“Maturity and decision making,” added Fitzsimmons. “The officer training, we knew he (Halterman) did not have it at that point. I’m certain he can obtain it.”
Foster asked who is on the Fire Committee, which consists of Boyd/Edson/Delmar and Stanley Fire Chief Ron Patten, Mayor Mike Henke, Alderperson Mark Fitzsimmons and Alderperson Josh Seidl.
“We’re there just to put guidance in the system until it’s taken care of itself and then we will be gone at that point,” said Fitzsimmons.
“The problem is I see Nate (Samplawski) and Amanda (Samplawski) pretty much on a daily if not every other day basis,” shared Pilgrim. “Nate’s done a whole lot.”
Alderperson Jacob Huff asked if Nate Samplawski has completed his officer training. Pilgrim confirmed that he has, and that Amanda Samplawski will have it at the end of the month. She added that Andy Koepl has it as well but “he got booted.”
“I don’t understand,” she added.
“Jeff (Ryba) has training too, right?” Foster questioned.
“He doesn’t have his officer training,” Pilgrim answered.
Fitzsimmons suggested either making recommendations or tabling the decision for further discussion later.
“We’ll just have to table it because I’m not agreeing to this at all,” Foster stated.
“Me either,” said Alderperson Aaron Dickson.
The council opted to refer the matter back to the fire committee, with Foster emphasizing the need for further discussions with the Fire Department as well.