What is new for Northwoods Drifter in 2026
The Eagle River Fire Department has a new leader at the helm. After 10 years of dedication to protecting the community, Jim Randall has been promoted to fire chief, bringing fresh energy and ambitious plans to a department that serves one of the Northwoods’ busiest tourism corridors.
Randall’s promotion represents more than just a career milestone. It signals the kind of hometown leadership that keeps Northwoods fire departments strong when recruitment challenges and rising costs test smaller communities across Wisconsin.
“The people at the station here, the guys and women that are firefighters, they have my back 100%,” Randall said. “That’s huge.”
Randall started with the Eagle River Fire Department a decade ago, working his way through the ranks before transitioning to full-time service five years back. He spent those years conducting fire inspections throughout the community — visiting businesses, schools, and public buildings to ensure fire safety compliance.
Now he’s traded the inspection clipboard for the chief’s helmet, officially stepping into the role at the beginning of March.
“As a firefighter you want to start as a firefighter, work your way through lieutenant to captain and then ultimately become the fire chief,” Randall explained. “So, it was very exciting and I look forward to it.”
Lieutenant Spencer Holms has watched Randall’s career progression firsthand. The promotion isn’t just good news for Randall — it’s a signal to every firefighter at the station that advancement is possible.
“It’s always best to see someone from the inside get moved up to the next position,” Holms said. “It gives me hope for the future that I might raise up through the ranks here.”
That matters in the Northwoods, where volunteer recruitment remains one of the biggest challenges facing rural fire departments. When younger firefighters see a clear path forward, they’re more likely to stick around and invest in the community.
“With new leadership comes new changes and I’m really excited to see what the future brings.” — Lt. Spencer Holms
The Eagle River Fire Protection District serves roughly 25,000 year-round residents, but that number swells dramatically during summer weekends and winter snowmobile season. The department handles everything from structure fires to water rescues, hazmat response to public education.
Randall isn’t waiting to make his mark. He’s already outlined priorities that will shape the department’s capabilities for years to come.
Top on his list: expanding emergency medical response. The Eagle River Fire Department doesn’t operate its own ambulance service, but Randall wants his team ready to assist when medical calls come in.
“We’re trying to get most of our people EMR certified so we can help out with the ambulance,” Randall said, “and just try to better serve our community with EMS and fire.”
Equipment needs are pressing too. The department’s aging fleet includes tender trucks that have seen better days.
Here’s what’s on Randall’s to-do list:
The department has already made strides with a new ladder truck addition and upgraded windows for the station doors. These improvements show a department investing in its future, not just maintaining the status quo.
Eagle River’s fire protection needs reflect its unique character. Founded in the late 1870s as loggers pushed into the Wisconsin Northwoods, the community grew alongside the lumber industry before reinventing itself as a tourism destination.
The current fire station at 820 East Pine Street was built in 1995, positioned to serve both the historic downtown and the sprawling lake properties that draw thousands of visitors each season.
During peak summer weekends and Snowmobile Derby events, the department’s workload intensifies. Fire chiefs in tourism-dependent communities need to plan for seasonal surges while maintaining year-round readiness.
That’s where Randall’s decade of experience becomes invaluable. He knows the rhythm of the Northwoods calendar — the busy fishing opener, the July 4th crowds, the snowmobile traffic that turns quiet forest roads into winter highways.
The Eagle River Fire Department continues accepting applications for anyone interested in serving their community. Whether you’re new to the area or a lifelong resident looking to give back, the station at 820 East Pine Street welcomes volunteers.
For Randall, the promotion caps a 10-year journey while opening a new chapter. He’s leading a team he knows well, in a community he’s committed to protecting.
The Northwoods has always relied on neighbors stepping up when the alarm sounds. With a hometown fire chief who’s worked his way through every rank, Eagle River has exactly the kind of leadership that keeps small-town departments strong when challenges mount and the next call comes in.
Written by
Mike has been coming up or living in the Northwoods since his childhood. He is also an avid outdoorsman, writer and supper club aficionado.
NewsMichael Habeck won Tomahawk’s mayoral race with 655 votes, ending a decade without contested leadership. The 40-year resident faces immediate challenges with road repairs and budget deficits.
NewsRhinelander Mayor Kris Hanus secured reelection by just 15 votes in a nail-biter decided at 12:30 a.m. He’s focusing his second term on housing, infrastructure, and rebuilding public safety facilities.
NewsRhinelander Mayor Kris Hanus secured his second term by just 15 votes in a race that wasn’t called until after midnight. His agenda focuses on economic development, west side infrastructure, and a new public safety facility.
NewsMichael Habeck takes office as Tomahawk’s first new mayor in a decade, facing deteriorating roads and a budget deficit after voters rejected a funding referendum.