Why Northwoods Fire Departments Bond Over Chili Cook-Offs

When firefighters aren’t responding to emergencies across the Northwoods, they’re stirring up something just as hot — competition-grade chili. The Nokomis Fire Station’s 8th annual Chili Cookoff brought together departments from across Oneida County for a Saturday that had little to do with winning and everything to do with knowing who’s got your back when it matters.

Fire Chief Joe Jelinek put it simply: “Get departments together other than on the fire scene.” In a region where mutual aid can mean the difference between a controlled situation and a disaster, knowing your neighboring firefighters before an emergency isn’t just nice — it’s essential.

The cookoff drew stations from throughout the Northwoods, each bringing their own take on chili ranging from mild comfort food to eye-watering heat.

More Than Just Spice and Bragging Rights

Judges scored each entry on taste, texture, and aroma. Some departments went traditional, others loaded up toppings, and a few aimed straight for the pain scale. Aspirus MedEvac took first in the mild category, while Arbor Vitae Fire Department claimed the hot chili crown.

But the real winners were the connections made between calls. Rural fire departments operate on relationships as much as equipment. When a structure fire in Florence County needs backup or a medical emergency in Lincoln County requires extra hands, you want to know the person stepping off that truck.

“Sometimes you go to departments and you don’t even know who these people are,” Jelinek explained. Ya know how it goes up here — departments might be separated by twenty miles of forest and frozen lakes, making face time outside emergencies rare. The cookoff fixes that.

Fundraising Fires Up Community Support

The Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department, about 32 members strong, handles roughly 100 calls yearly. Most are medical — 60% of their responses involve someone needing help before an ambulance arrives. That’s the reality of rural emergency services in the Northwoods.

Running a volunteer department takes more than heart. The cookoff’s raffle featured over 70 items, raising funds split between several causes:

• Kindship of Tomahawk, supporting local children
• Northwoods Veterans
• Oneida County Aging and Disability Resource Center
• Nokomis Fire Department operations

“We didn’t want to keep it all to ourselves,” Jelinek said. “We wanted to pay it forward.”

The 2026 event even got a boost from the Nokomis ATV Club, which donated $2,000 to support the fundraiser. That kind of community backing keeps volunteer departments running when budgets run thin.

The Volunteer Spirit That Keeps Us Safe

Nokomis isn’t some big-city department with career staff on 24-hour shifts. These are neighbors, friends, and family members who drop what they’re doing when the pager goes off. They’ve earned recognition too — the department was named 2012 Oneida County Fire Department of the Year.

Volunteer fire service runs deep in Northwoods history. Tomahawk-area departments trace their roots to the early 1900s, with firefighters building stations on donated land that still serve communities today. That tradition continues every time someone joins up, trains hard, and shows up at 2 a.m. for a chimney fire.

“After all, kind of like I figure it’s our future so any help they can get, the greatest, that’s a good thing to invest in.” — Fire Chief Joe Jelinek on supporting local children through fundraising

The cookoff reminds everyone that volunteer firefighters are regular people making extraordinary commitments. They’re not doing it for glory or paychecks — they’re doing it because someone has to, and they care enough to step up.

Building Networks That Save Lives

In rural Oneida County, where pine forests stretch between small towns and county roads wind past more lakes than you can count, emergency response depends on mutual aid. If Nokomis gets overwhelmed, neighboring departments from Rhinelander, Tomahawk, or points beyond roll in to help.

That system works because of relationships built at events like this chili cookoff. When you’ve shared a meal and a laugh with someone, working together on an emergency scene flows smoother. You trust their training because you’ve seen their commitment firsthand.

The Nokomis station sits at 2675 Highway L in Tomahawk, a functional volunteer firehouse surrounded by the landscape these firefighters protect. Picture a February Saturday: snow piled high, trucks parked outside, steam rising from chili pots inside, and firefighters from across the region swapping stories between tastings.

Next Year’s Bowl Awaits

Chief Jelinek made clear the invitation extends beyond current participants. Any fire department — even those outside the Northwoods — can join next year’s cookoff. More departments mean stronger networks, better fundraising, and deeper community connections.

For locals who want to support their fire department, mark your calendar for next February. Try some chili, buy a raffle ticket, and meet the volunteers who respond when you need them most.

The Northwoods thrives on this kind of community spirit. Volunteer firefighters sacrifice time with their families, miss sleep, and train constantly to keep neighbors safe. A chili cookoff might seem like a small thing, but it’s part of what holds rural communities together when the stakes are highest.