Merrill Fire Department

08/30/2026

Merrill Firefighters Local 847 Charity will be hosting a fundraiser trap shoot soon. Money raised stays local and benefits others in need.

08/29/2026

More pictures of recruit training last week at NTC.

08/28/2026

Yesterday North Star Emergency Vehicle Service was at the station to do our annual pump testing. This yearly process and evaluation makes sure the fire pumps on the trucks are working appropriately.

08/27/2026

Channel 7 was at the station on Tuesday and did an interview with Chief Klug to share information on the ambulance service related to contract negotiations with the county.

If you have questions or want to learn more about our ambulance service, you can email us at: [email protected] or call the station at 715-536-2233. Additionally we can arrange group presentations for those wanting to hear more.

Merrill Fire Chief Josh Klug is asking Lincoln County for an additional $500,000 to create four new positions as the department negotiates an updated contract with the county.

08/26/2026

08/26/2026

Today marks the 13 year work anniversary for Firefighter/Paramedic Ross Witucki. Witucki is a DC Everest graduate and joined the US Military right out of high school and served on two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Witucki started his career with the Weston Fire department and did his paramedic and firefighter training at Northcentral Technical College. Ross worked for the City of Antigo Fire Department for 13 months before he joined us.

In addition to his paramedic license, he has multiple emergency services certificates including Firefighter II, Driver/Operator- Pumper and Aerial, Fire Officer I & II, ICS 100-800, as well as holding Critical Care Paramedic and Tactical EMS certifications. Ross seeks out new training opportunities especially with his recent inclusion to Wisconsin Task Force 1, the state’s urban search & rescue team. Witucki is one of six Acting Officers on our department, running the crew when the battalion chief is off.

During his time with our department, Witucki has received many commendations for his and his crew’s work. His personnel folder includes various thank you cards and letters of appreciation from past patients and fire department customers. Witucki was one of the creators of our department’s Firefighter Combat Challenge Team Bonder. The mini-firefighter challenges are popular with our local sports teams who routinely seek us out to host an event because they promoted the team concept, a concept that Witucki is very familiar with during his military and fire service careers.

Ross participates in many FD events like the annual Labor Day parade, the State Firefighters Memorial clean-up, Adopt-A-Highway clean up, and Community Night Out. His active inclusion in these events demonstrates his commitment to our department and the Merrill community. Ross has embraced the concept of “between alarms” value that the Merrill Fire Department provides to our community.

Ross is married to his wife Erin and they have two kids, LilyAnn and Joe. The family recently built a new house in the area. In addition to his love of family, Ross is passionate about bow hunting and archery. He is a member of Rib Mountain Bowmen and continues volunteering with HHA USA, a non-profit organization that gets veterans and first responders into the outdoors.

Please help us congratulate and thank Firefighter/Paramedic Ross Witucki on his 13 years of dedicated service to the Merrill community as well as his service to our country.

08/25/2026

C- crew got some portable pump training in this week. Never know when you might need to set up a fill site.

08/24/2026

Last week was FF/Medic Chris Larsen’s first week of recruit training. Some of his tasks included deploying hoselines, vehicle extrication, and forcible entry. Keep up the good work!

08/23/2026

Last Tuesday's Community Scan radio interview with Chief Klug. Hear about our "new guy" and Community Night Out.

08/22/2026

Today we recognize the work anniversary of Firefighter/Paramedic Tyler Mueller. He is a Merrill High School graduate and went on to Gogebic Community College to earn his Paramedic Degree with high honors. After receiving his formal education, Tyler started working in the Emergency Department at Wausau Hospital and for the Rib Mountain Fire Department. In 2011, Fire Chief Bob Odegard hired Tyler making him the 177th member of the Merrill Fire Department.

In addition to his Paramedic license, Mueller has earned his Critical Care Paramedic and Tactical EMS endorsements. He has taken many Incident Command courses like ICS 100 – 800 and Fire Officer I & II. Mueller participates on the state EMS Board. Mueller is one of the six Acting Officers on the department which means that he runs the shift when his Battalion Chief is gone.

Mueller is well respected and supported by his peers. A good example of that is his selection as President of Merrill Firefighters IAFF Local 847. He has served the union as president for several years. Additionally he has routinely assisted with fire department events like the Labor Day Parade and Community Night Out. Tyler also serves as the liaison with Wisconsin Surplus Company, the company used by the fire department to sell our used, surplus equipment. Mueller is a member of the department’s EMS Committee and assists in EMS training to neighboring first responder groups.

Tyler and his wife, Breanne, have three sons, Gabriel (9), Gavin (7), and Bran (18 months). The boys keep their parents very busy. The family spends whatever free time they have at the lake or taking trips. As a kid himself, Mueller earned his Eagle Scout through Boy Scouts of America. Tyler enjoys football, hunting, fishing, camping, and pretty much anything that gets him and his family outdoors. The family is still building a new home in the Town of Merrill.

Firefighter/Paramedic Tyler Mueller is a fine example of how the Merrill community cultivates and mentors our youth. It is always very cool to see when one of Merrill’s own grows up and comes back to help serve and lead in our community. Please help us thank and congratulate Firefighter/Paramedic Tyler Mueller on his 15 years of service at the Merrill Fire Department.