Northern Star Fire, an Eau Claire startup with a device to help firefighters find their way out of a burning building, is the grand prize winner in the 2017 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest. Jeff Dykes, a captain in the Eau Claire Fire Department and a firefighter for 20 years, has developed an electronic, eight-direction compass that fits inside a firefighter’s face mask and lights up, showing the direction. “It allows firefighters to maintain their orientation in zero-visibility conditions,” Dykes said.