By Brandi Makuski
RUDOLPH — The Portage County Fire Chiefs Association publicly announced a new firefighter scholarship program during its July 24 meeting, held at the Rudolph Fire Department.
The new initiative offers $100 scholarships to help firefighters pursue continuing education and professional development. Stockton Fire Chief Jeremy Spencer said this marks the first year the association has awarded the scholarships.
“We offered four $100 scholarships this year,” Spencer said. “It’s open to anyone within Portage County whose department is associated with the Chiefs Association, and some neighboring departments that assist here are eligible, too.”
The scholarships are primarily funded through annual department dues, Spencer said, though the association occasionally receives private donations.
The association, which meets quarterly, is comprised of fire chiefs from every department in Portage County, along with chiefs from partner agencies in neighboring counties.
Kaden Stanczyk, a firefighter with the Stockton Fire Department for the past three years, used his scholarship to attend a “Reading Smoke” course at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC).
“You learn a lot in that class—different smoke patterns,” Stanczyk said.
Capt. Jon Heili, who has served with the Rudolph Fire Department for four years, attended the International Association of Arson Investigators conference held this year at the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point.
The Chiefs Association also supports regional safety initiatives, including a current effort to equip rural schools with trauma kits. Assistant Chief Adam Meshak of the Amherst Fire District said the group recently contributed to the second phase of that effort, led by Portage Co. EMS Coordinator Andrea Krantz.
“The city [fire department] focused on city schools in the first round,” Meshak said. “This second round is aimed at getting kits into rural schools, and Andrea is currently assembling them with the funds we’ve helped raise.”
The Portage County Fire Chiefs Association works to strengthen interagency cooperation, provide training opportunities, and promote professional development for fire departments serving Portage County and surrounding areas.
