PHOTO: After nearly three decades with the same fire department, John Wisner is about to take on a new challenge.
Wisner is retiring as chief of the Hellsgate Fire Department on Oct. 28. And on Nov. 2, he takes over as the new chief of the Pine-Strawberry Fire Department.
Wisner takes on a district solidly led by Gary Morris since 2014. Morris is retiring after working in the fire field since 1964.
The transition from Hellsgate to P-S should be a smooth one for Wisner as he has worked with the district on various mutual aid calls and he knows several staff members.
Hellsgate and P-S, however, are very different fire departments.
Hellsgate is about half the size of P-S with six full-time firefighters. P-S has 15 full-time firefighters in addition to a fire marshal and assistant fire marshal.