Chippewa Falls is looking for a new fire chief.
Mike Hepfler on Tuesday announced to the city that he will be retiring as chief of the Chippewa Falls Fire and Emergency Services Department on July 22. Hepfler, a McDonell Central High School graduate, started with the department in July 1985 as a reserve firefighter, was hired as a full-time firefighter/emergency medical technician in 1989, just as the fire department took over the ambulance service from a private contractor. Heplfer worked as a firefighter/EMT until 1996 when he was promoted to the city’s fire prevention inspector position. In January of 1998, he was promoted to lieutenant, then to battalion chief of EMS operations in 2012 and fire chief in April 2014, replacing Tom Larson.
The city has started the process of seeking a replacement.