KIMBERLY — After almost 29 years of service to Kimberly, Fire Chief Jim Hietpas will officially transition from “Chief of Department” to “Retired Chief” at midnight Monday.
According to a Facebook post from the department, Hietpas joined the Kimberly Fire Department in November 1995.
After years of training and working his way up through the ranks, he was selected and hired as Chief of Department in January 2021.
With the unconditional support of his wife Jan, he has been able to serve this community while maintaining a full-time “civilian” occupation and raising two daughters, Kinleigh and Lydia.
It is well-known in the volunteer fire service that membership and dedication extends not only to the man or woman putting on the bunker gear, but to the family at home that supports him or her – who understands when you run out on an anniversary dinner to answer a fire page, or miss a ball game to attend a required training.
The responsibility and work associated with the position of chief is even more daunting, and so the department also must recognize and thank the entire Hietpas family for their services and sacrifices to this community.
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