VIDEO: Wausau Fire Department Chief Bob Barteck bid farewell to his 33-year career in public service on Dec. 15, marking the end of an era.
Serving as chief since June of 2021, Barteck had previously dedicated over 25 years to the Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department.
The central Wisconsin community gathered to celebrate Chief Barteck’s distinguished career, with familiar faces in attendance, including Wausau Chief of Police Matthew Barnes and Mayor Katie Rosenberg. The event highlighted Barteck’s philosophy of collaboration.
“Community development, the police department, all of them, they could always rely on Chief Barteck to be there and have their back. And that goes without saying that every firefighter and paramedic in the fire department, they always knew that Chief Barteck had their back,” said the new Chief Jeremy Kopp.