Kris Leonhardt

Editor

MARSHFIELD — Another member of the Marshfield Fire & Rescue Department will be leaving his longtime post for a less stressful life after his retirement was approved by the Marshfield Police & Fire Commission Nov. 9.

Craig DeGrand, who currently serves as the deputy chief of fire prevention, submitted a retirement date of Dec. 21. DeGrand has served 30 years with the department, a time frame that spans his entire career.

“My mom always told me that I told her a long time ago that this is what I wanted to do,” he said. “I don’t recall that.

“When I was probably a senior in high school, you start looking at moving on what you are going to do, and I think I went to the guidance office, and I (saw) the brochure for the fire protection program, and from there the rest is proverbial history.”

DeGrand began his career with the Marshfield Fire & Rescue Department on Feb. 25, 1986, starting as a firefighter and EMT at the age of 23.

“Through retirements … and in 2001 the department restructured,” he explained, “they went from lieutenants running the shift to deputy chiefs in charge of the shifts, so I threw my hat in the ring back then, and I was one of the three promoted to shift deputy chief.”

Over the years DeGrand has worked under a total of five chiefs, and in 1996 he was part of the first group of 15 to become paramedics. He has also seen the department undergo multiple adaptations to modernize and keep up with technology.

DeGrand said he will greatly miss the fraternity that exists in the department, “There are many unique personalities within the shift, and I’ve kind of missed that since March when I came to days.

“The fire service is a unique work environment because it is a second family. You have the weird uncles, the crazy aunts, the nephews that all bring different things. You kind of feed off of one another on certain days when things get crazy. … It’s the fun of the firehouse. It’s the interaction. … It’s all meant in good fun. You’ll know when it’s your time on the barrel.”

The former deputy chief of fire prevention, Ed Erickson, retired in January, and former Marshfield Fire & Rescue Department Chief Bob Haight retired in March.