The city's newest fire chief has a long history with the fire service.
Chief Todd Eckes officially took the oath of office Tuesday evening during the Wisconsin Rapids Common Council meeting. He had been interim fire chief since former Chief Scott Young's retirement in October. The Wisconsin Rapids Police and Fire Commission named him as the new fire chief on May 2.
Eckes' father also was a member of the fire service. Norman Eckes was one of the 17 men who were part of Marshfield's first full-time fire department, which was started in 1948. According to the Marshfield Fire Department's website, Norman Eckes was hired April 1, 1948.
Although Todd Eckes, 61, grew up with a firefighter father, he didn't start out as a firefighter. Eckes went to work for the Wisconsin Rapids mill, owned by Stora Enso at the time. He said he was making good wages and raising a family in Vesper. He decided to volunteer for the Vesper Fire Department, becoming a lieutenant. He was a member for the department about 16 years and loved it.