After 27 years of dedicated service to the Merrill community, Merrill Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Hintze will retire from the department on Saturday, June 1.
Steve Hintze started his emergency services career with the Merrill Fire Department on February 8, 1993, after being hired by then-Fire Chief Harvey Emmanuel. His first assigned position was Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician – Intermediate (EMT-I). Prior to employment with the fire department, Hintze worked as a security guard for Wausau Insurance Company, a youth counselor at Lincoln Hills, and a scraper operator for Merrill Gravel & Construction.
During his early years with the fire department, Hintze is credited with revamping the department’s fire prevention program. He converted the program from an all-school presentation to a detailed lesson plan for each grade from preschool through 4th grade. This change significantly impacted the Merrill community by reducing the number of fires. It is hard to estimate exactly how many fires were never started because of his prevention efforts, but data collected over the decades shows a distinct reduction in fires and fatal fires. This form of fire prevention wasn’t the only involvement Hintze had during his career. His efforts also included the smoke alarm installation program and most recently the Hydrant Heroes program. Hintze, like all members of the Merrill Fire Department, had to be trained in all of the various emergency service functions provided to the community.
In addition to his EMT and fire training, Steve completed training in arson investigations, confined space, incident command systems, hazardous materials, wild fires, driver/operator, juvenile fire-setter, foam, high angle rescue, ice and swift water rescues, weapons of mass destruction, suicide prevention, underground tank inspections and advanced vehicle extrication. Over the past 27 years, Steve also attended an array of conferences like Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs, Wisconsin State Fire Inspectors, and the Wisconsin – International Association of Arson Investigators.
Hintze holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. His formal education and training along with his leadership skills made him the top candidate for promotion to Lieutenant in 2003.
As a lieutenant, Steve worked primarily out of old fire station #2 (1303 W. Main St.) handling many of the exterior station duties like planting flowers around the station. Hintze flourished in this role, leading to his promotion to Captain in 2008. During that same year, the fire department was restructured to accommodate the reduction to staffing, creating an Assistant Fire Chief position as well. Hintze was chosen for the position and served as the department’s second-in-command until 2012 when he went back on shift as a Battalion Chief, once
again due to the department’s restructuring. Since 2012, Hintze has lead his shift, C Crew, and handled additional assignments for the department like fire inspections, training, station maintenance, and public relations/education.
Equally impressive to Hintze’s emergency service career is his volunteer work. Hintze has held many leadership roles in other organizations like Safety Director of Merrill Little League,
City of Merrill Park & Recreation Commissioner, and Silver M Club board member. As a member of St. John Lutheran Church, he served in many roles like School Board member, youth board member, elder, and even vice president of the congregation. Steve has been a youth sports coach for decades, teaching Merrill’s athletes valuable lessons.
Hintze volunteered his time and talents to some of the department’s off-duty events and functions too such as President of Merrill Firefighters Local 847, Mock DUI presentation at the high school and multiple years as the Director of the department’s annual MDA tournament at Ott’s Park.
In his retirement letter, BC Hintze reflected on his career writing, “After more than a 25-year career, one which allowed me to serve the citizens as a firefighter, EMT, rescuer, and role model – I have had the privileged opportunity on many occasions to experience the “high” of doing something as important as saving a life to something as simple as putting a smile on a face, in these roles through the years.
However, this position was not always the “high,” but at times just the opposite, like when I carried out a young child out of a house fire, knowing there was nothing humanly possible I could do to make this situation right or the several drownings I would have the unfortunate experience to deal with, all which will stay with me even through my retirement years.”
Each active and retired member of the department has their own favorite memory or story of Steve. Some will remember all the fantastic meals that he made at the station; some will think of the off-duty hunting or fishing trips that they took; some might think of a dramatic call they went on together; some might appreciate the coaching and mentoring that he gave. There are so many stories and memories made in his career that it would be impossible to list them all.
“We are fortunate, as a department and community, that Steve Hintze served his hometown. Even though we won’t have BC Hintze at the station responding on calls any more, his legacy will be felt long after his retirement. I would personally like to go on record thanking him for everything he did to help me in my fire service career,” stated Fire Chief Josh Klug.
After Hintze’s retirement, firefighter/paramedic Jon Leiskau will take over as Battalion Chief.
More importantly than his duties as a firefighter, Steve and his wife Dawn raised two boys, Jake and Ben. With his retirement, Steve will have more time to enjoy the upcoming events of his adult children like Jake’s wedding this July to finance, Olivia. As an active outdoorsman, Steve plans to stay busy goose and turkey hunting as well as fishing on Lake Alexander where he now resides. Steve will also be staying busy training his new white Labrador puppy, Mack, which was a retirement gift from his wife and kids.
The Merrill Fire Department would like to congratulate Battalion Chief Steve Hintze on his well-deserved retirement and wishes him all the best in all his future endeavors. The department will be holding a small retirement reception at the fire station on May 28 th which is Steve’s last work day on shift from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.