New Marshfield fire chief aims to increase community outreach and education

MARSHFIELD ? The city's new fire chief wants residents to notice a difference in the department.

Everett Mueller, 47, was sworn in Sept. 4 as the new chief of the Marshfield Fire and Rescue Department. Mueller said one of his goals for the department is to increase education and outreach to the community. He wants most changes in the department to be data driven and his public education plans are one of those changes.

"Every time a piece of equipment goes out those doors, there's a report filed," Mueller said.

The department has computer programs where the information from those reports can be looked at to see trends. Staff can look at the trends to see where the department might need to work on educating the public.

Mueller gave an example that the department had responded to two fires in two weeks that both started from cloth saturated in a some type of substance starting on fire by itself. In one case oily rags started on fire and in another clothes that had cooking grease on them, which had been washed, dried and put in a clothes basket, started on fire. It might be time to get a warning out about the dangers of leaving clothes with chemicals in them in an enclosed space, Mueller said.

He wants to use community outreach and collaboration with local organizations, schools and businesses to strengthen community ties and support fire prevention programs. He plans to work with other local agencies to develop and refine disaster response plans.

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Joining the fire service was a calling

Mueller grew up in Chippewa Falls. His family owned a nursery business and other businesses that caught his father's eye. At the age of 17, Mueller joined the U.S. Navy, became an electrician's mate and served aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower. He had the opportunity to work on the Nucleus Fire Party for the ship. He was the electrician assigned to the fire party and he discovered he like responding to fire calls.

When Mueller got out of the Navy he got a job as an electrician, but he would go by the fire department every day. He began talking with the firefighters and asking questions. He discovered he liked the fire service a lot and eventually became a volunteer for the Chippewa department before becoming a paid on-call member.

Mueller joined the Marshfield Fire Department on June 28, 2004, as a firefighter and emergency medical technician after he had served as a paid on-call volunteer for the Chippewa Falls Fire Protection District for five years.

Mueller said he always wanted to do something bigger than himself and bigger than a community. Being a part of the fire service has seemed like a calling, he said. He loves being able to help people and his community through the fire service.

Mueller has served in many positions since he joined the department a little more than 20 years ago. He's served as first engineer, relief lieutenant, acting lieutenant and became a lieutenant on Nov. 11, 2021. Mueller was made deputy chief of fire prevention on April 18, 2022, and was promoted to fire chief on Sept. 4.

The Marshfield Fire and Police Commission selected Mueller to replace Interim Fire Chief Jody Clements early last summer, Mueller said. The commission let Mueller work with Clements to learn the job over the summer. Clements, who had been interim chief since former Fire Chief Peter Fletty left Aug. 10. 2022, retired in August.

Goals: Safety and continuous improvement for the department

Mueller's goals for the department include enhancing firefighters' safety and training. He wants to implement regular training programs to ensure access to the latest safety equipment and promote a culture of safety in the department, he said.

Mueller wants to analyze the department's data to optimize station placements and response protocols to look at current response times and, if needed, improve on them.

The new chief wants to look at operating efficiency to find places to streamline processes and utilize technology to improve resource management and incident reporting.

Other goals for the department include finding ways to implement environmentally friendly practices within the department, such as using energy-efficient equipment and sustainable response strategies. He wants to ensure the department is budgeting responsibly while maintaining and improving equipment. He'll be an advocate for funding when he needs to be.

All the goals add up to Mueller wanting continuous improvement for the department. That includes preparing department members for promotions. There are several department members in leadership positions who will be retiring in the next year, Mueller said. He'd like to see their positions filled from within the department, if possible.

At the same time, Mueller wants to be sure all the members of the department get the support they need to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, while they serve their communities.

'Your safety is, and always will be, our top priority'

Mueller said he's been putting in a lot of hours since the commission's decision to make him chief. He enjoys hunting and fishing, but he hasn't had much time for that. He credits his wife, Carmen, with helping him get through it.

"I genuinely love my wife," Mueller said. "I appreciate all she does for me. She's an amazing part of my life."

Mueller has a message for the city of Marshfield as he takes on the new challenge of fire chief.

"To the Marshfield community, I promise that the department will continue to serve you with the highest level of professionalism, transparency and education," Mueller said. "We are here for you, day and night, in times of need and in times of celebration. Your safety is, and always will be, our top priority."

Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.

This article originally appeared on Marshfield News-Herald: Marshfield fire chief aims to increase community outreach, education