State presents check for $50,000 to Merrill Fire Chief

On Sept. 3, 2024, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) Secretary Dan Hereth and Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance Nathan Houdek presented a ceremonial check for more than $50,000 to City of Merrill Fire Department Chief Josh Klug. The check representes the department’s share of funding from the Wisconsin 2% Fire Dues Program.
“Safety is a vital part of our department’s mission, and our state fire departments are the backbone of safety in Wisconsin communities,” said DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth. “Ensuring that safety means funding our fire departments, and the Fire Dues Program is a major source of funding.”
The 2% Fire Dues Program requires insurers to pay 2% of premiums collected for insurance against loss from fires. The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) collects the dues, and DSPS distributes the dues to hundreds of cities, villages, and towns across Wisconsin according to a prescribed formula. This summer, Wisconsin professional, volunteer, and hybrid fire departments received a total of $32.2 million, a nearly $4 million increase over 2023.
“This program is all about prevention. Fire departments across our state can take their share of the Fire Dues funding and put it towards the programs that best serve their communities. We’re proud to play a part in this collaboration,” said Commissioner Houdek.
Wisconsin fire departments can use the Fire Dues funding in a variety of ways to keep communities safe, including buying and replacing equipment, producing fire prevention programming, training crews, and more. Merrill has used some of its annual funding to keep a dedicated Fire Inspector on staff.
“Previously, we had employees filling in that role on a rotating basis,” said Merrill Fire Chief Josh Klug. “Having someone dedicated to that job allows our other fire staff to concentrate on their work, and for our local businesses it provides consistency. There is no question about whom to contact with questions about fire inspections.”
Chief Klug and Fire Inspector Joe Bozinski joined Merrill Mayor Steve Hass and City Administrator Rod Akey to accept the ceremonial check for $50,872.26.
DSPS issues more than 240 unique licenses, administers dozens of boards and councils that regulate professions, enforces state building codes, and maintains the Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which is a key tool in the multi-faceted public health campaign to stem excessive opioid prescribing. A fee-based agency, DSPS is self-sustaining and receives no general fund tax dollars for its day-to-day operations. With two offices and roughly 250 employees, DSPS collaborates with constituents and stakeholders across a wide range of industries to promote safety and advance the economy.

MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Health officials are urging the public to get vaccinated amid a “significant increase” in pertussis cases in Wisconsin.

The state as a whole, including right here in Northeast Wisconsin, is continuing to see an alarming rise in cases of pertussis, also known as whopping cough. Since January 1, two-thirds of Wisconsin counties have reported at least one case.

So far this year, Wisconsin has already reported 625 cases of the disease. That’s 12 times more than what was seen all of last year — only 51 total.

The state Department of Health Services says this number actually compares to some pre-pandemic years, where high numbers of cases were reported. Officials say the disease is cyclical — so it’s not completely uncommon for some years to have higher numbers than others.

More than half of this year’s cases involve kids ages 11 to 18. Health officials say anyone at any age can get the disease, but it’s especially dangerous for infants and pregnant women.

It’s common to see such high numbers of the disease simply because whooping cough is so contagious.

“The other piece is that pertussis is quite infectious, in that you’re infectious before you start coughing for about a week, and 21 days after you start coughing, if you don’t get on the appropriate antibiotics. So people with the disease can really spread it for a long period of time,” warned Dr. Stephanie Schauer, manager of the Wisconsin Immunization Project.

Dr. Schauer says typically, children are vaccinated for the disease as infants and then again at the age of 11 or 12 — and that provides enough protection for a lifetime. But she also acknowledges that protection from the vaccine does wane over time — and that could be a contributing factor in this year’s high number of cases.

Pregnant woman can also get boosters, as they’re more at risk.

Early symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, occasional cough and a low-grade fever. Later symptoms include:

Fits of violent coughs that may be followed by a deep breath that make a “whoop” sound and/or make it hard to breathe
Vomiting during or after coughing fits
Exhaustion after coughing fits

If you or your child develop symptoms of pertussis, or if you’ve been exposed to someone you suspect may have pertussis, health officials say you should stay home from school, work, church and other activities. You should also contact your medical provider to ensure you receive proper treatment.

Experts say vaccination is the best way to prevent a pertussis infection. The DTaP (young children) and TDaP (teens and adults) vaccines protect against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis.

To see if your child is up to date, visit the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or contact your medical provider.

A 12-year-old River Falls boy saved his father, who was pinned down by a 200-pound bear while legally hunting in the woods of northwestern Wisconsin earlier this month, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

A Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conservation officer confirmed the bear encounter involving 43-year-old Ryan Beierman and his son, Owen.

The incident occurred Sept. 6 by their cabin near Siren, a Burnett County village about 93 miles from Minneapolis, during an afternoon hunting trip.

While in a tree stand over a bait station, Owen spotted, shot and struck the bear. However, it ran out of sight. About 20 minutes later, Owen and Ryan started to track it down, using their neighbor’s chocolate Labrador for assistance. During their search into the night, the dog saw the bear and retreated.

“I reached for my sidearm, initially hoping to scare the bear away with a warning shot,” Ryan told the Star Tribune. “He was only 5 to 6 feet away, point-blank. As he charged, I shot to kill. I shot eight times but missed. I had no time, and I never got the gun high enough to use the sights.”

During the struggle, Ryan said he started pistol-whipping the bear. The animal bit his arm and forehead. Owen grabbed his rifle and fatally shot the bear.

“I was flat on my back and could feel the bullet go through the bear,” Ryan told the Star Tribune. “Owen was a hero. He shot that bear and killed it on top of me.”

Neighbors helped him out of the woods and took him to a nearby hospital, where he received 23 stitches. He suffered several injuries to his face, right arm, and leg, according to the report.

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.