BY MIKE WARREN

MARSHFIELD – Longtime Deputy Chief and firefighter/paramedic Jody Clements will become the Interim Chief of the Marshfield Fire and Rescue Department, upon the departure later this month of current Chief Pete Fletty. The city’s Fire & Police Commission formally accepted Fletty’s resignation during its Aug. 10 meeting.

“This was not an easy decision,” Fletty told the commission, concerning his departure. “My intention was to retire from here. With that being said, there’s some personal things that have happened along the way. Things sort of happened this spring where I started looking elsewhere. I wanted to explore other options. I’ve been here for almost 26 years now. Just really grateful for having had the opportunity to serve this city. This was my first and only department so far. Things sometimes happen, it seems for a reason, and those things kind of took place this spring,” Fletty added.   

“The culture here right now is in a place I’ve never seen,” Fletty continued. “Our firefighters take care of each other, both on and off duty. ‘Family’ is used in the fire service a lot and this is truly family here,” he added. “Looking back I have no regrets over any choices I made here or anything I did here.”

Fletty is an Eau Claire native. He joined the Marshfield Fire and Rescue Department in 1997. In December 2021, he was named Interim Fire Chief, following the retirement of Scott Owen. Fletty was named Fire Chief in March 2022. His last day on the job in Marshfield will be Aug. 24. Pete accepted the position in Onalaska on July 26. His first day on the job there is Aug. 28.

Clements, meanwhile, joined the department in March 1994. He became a Relief Deputy Chief on Jan. 31, 2006, Lieutenant on Feb. 3, 2012 and Deputy Chief Oct. 14, 2013.