Drew Spielman, Hudson Fire Chief

Drew Spielman has fond memories of his father's time as a firefighter in his hometown of Menomonie, Wis. He also remembers visiting his grandfather, who would also share about his time as a volunteer firefighter. With two generations of firefighters as role models, Drew knew his future was also in the world of firefighting.He attended school to earn a degree in fire protection and landed a job with the Green Bay Fire Department. But eventually, he felt the call back to Western Wisconsin to be closer to family. When the fire chief job opened up in Hudson, he applied and was hired — bringing him closer to home. Now three years into his role as the leader of the volunteer fire department, Chief Spielman has learned a lot about the local community and about the unique challenges that go along with being the chief of a group of volunteer firefighters.On this week's episode of St. Croix Stories, Chief Spielman shares more about his childhood dreams of becoming a firefighter, explains the ins and outs of a volunteer department like Hudson's, talks about discovering a passion for photography while serving as a firefighter in Green Bay, and much more.To learn about the Hudson Fire Department, visit hudsonfd.org.Send a message to the hostFollow St. Croix Stories on Facebook and Instagram, and hear all episodes at stcroixstories.com.