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Kitowski retires; son carries on tradition

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
Capt. Dennis Kitowski retired from the Stevens Point Fire Department on Tuesday, Jan. 11, the same day his son Mark became the third generation member of his family to join the department.

Mark follows in the footsteps started by his grandfather and Dennis' father, Carl Kitowski, who worked for the Stevens Point Fire Department for nearly 39 years, from Aug. 1, 1933, to Jan. 1, 1972.

Dennis joined the department on July 1, 1975, and was promoted to motor pump operator on Aug. 14, 1989, captain first grade on July 2, 1995, and captain second grade on July 2, 2000. He also served as acting deputy chief for two years, from 2000 to 2002.

Dennis told firefighters during a retirement event Tuesday at the Fire Station that he viewed them as family because "in the fire service we spend so much time together. We poke fun at each others as brothers. We have helped each other so much, even in our private lives. I think you have been part of my family."

Throughout his years on the department, Dennis said he feels experience has benefited him the most in dealing with fires.

"Sometimes it (fighting a fire) just works out miraculously in the way things come together," he said. "Then there are others where if anything can go wrong it does."

He said from the first day he walked into the station to work to the day he leaves, every firefighter has relied on each other. "All have helped to do a better job."

He said he remembers some of the fires in the downtown area and the difficulty fighting them. "We lost some buildings but we never lost an entire block," he said.

Sometimes firefighters have to be aggressive and attack a fire, while at other times they need to sit back to fight it, he said. "With the training and equipment we have, we've done a pretty decent job in trying to save property."

He said a big advantage with a full-time fire department is the quick response and being able to knock down a fire quickly if the blaze is detected in the early stages. "In the cases where a fire is not discovered until it's coming through the roof or has been vented, then it's different," he said.

Safety is an important factor, he said, and the full-time department's advantage is the quick response can save lives and reduce property loss.

"When I think back, the most memorable experiences are those that I think we made a difference in saving life, whether with the ambulance service or occasions where we helped people who were trapped and we were able to get them out alive," he said.

"I felt it's a privilege to be in a position to help people," Dennis said. "I appreciate the opportunity that the city and Portage County (which funds the ambulance service) has given me to assist people and be a help to them. The realities of this job and extending that service and knowing, whether it's verbalized or not, that you've helped someone is gratifying."

He said he believes he's made a positive contribution to the community during his 30 years with the department and "I leave this job a better person."

Dennis said the 30 years went by faster than he expected, but his father had told that. Dennis said his father had told him when he started that "if things go the same as with me, before you know it, you'll be an old man and you won't know where the time went."

"I don't know where it went," Dennis said.

In retirement Dennis said he'll continue working in a ministry and he'll also do some traveling.

His son Joe is a firefighter in Bozeman, Mont., and he's looking forward to going out there to do some skiing and hunting. He also has brothers and sisters in Montana and Colorado to visit, he said.

Mark is a 1998 graduate of Stevens Point Area Senior High School and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a major in biology.

He also attended Mid-State Technical College for paramedic training, Madison Area Technical College for firefighting training and Montana State University in Bozeman, where he spent a year on a volunteer fire department. He also spent a semester at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia.

"I knew I wanted to be a firefighter," Mark said, adding that he also likes to dabble in real estate and has obtained a real estate broker's license.



	Kitowski retires; son carries on tradition By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette Capt. Dennis Kitowski retired from the Stevens Point Fire Department on Tuesday, Jan. 11, the same day his son Mark became the third generation member of his family to join the department. Mark follows in the footsteps started by his grandfather and Dennis' father, Carl Kitowski, who worked for the Stevens Point Fire Department for nearly 39 years, from Aug. 1, 1933, to Jan. 1, 1972. Dennis joined the department on July 1, 1975, and was promoted to motor pump operator on Aug. 14, 1989, captain first grade on July 2, 1995, and captain second grade on July 2, 2000. He also served as acting deputy chief for two years, from 2000 to 2002. Dennis told firefighters during a retirement event Tuesday at the Fire Station that he viewed them as family because "in the fire service we spend so much time together. We poke fun at each others as brothers. We have helped each other so much, even in our private lives. I think you have been part of my family." Throughout his years on the department, Dennis said he feels experience has benefited him the most in dealing with fires. "Sometimes it (fighting a fire) just works out miraculously in the way things come together," he said. "Then there are others where if anything can go wrong it does." He said from the first day he walked into the station to work to the day he leaves, every firefighter has relied on each other. "All have helped to do a better job." He said he remembers some of the fires in the downtown area and the difficulty fighting them. "We lost some buildings but we never lost an entire block," he said. Sometimes firefighters have to be aggressive and attack a fire, while at other times they need to sit back to fight it, he said. "With the training and equipment we have, we've done a pretty decent job in trying to save property." He said a big advantage with a full-time fire department is the quick response and being able to knock down a fire quickly if the blaze is detected in the early stages. "In the cases where a fire is not discovered until it's coming through the roof or has been vented, then it's different," he said. Safety is an important factor, he said, and the full-time department's advantage is the quick response can save lives and reduce property loss. "When I think back, the most memorable experiences are those that I think we made a difference in saving life, whether with the ambulance service or occasions where we helped people who were trapped and we were able to get them out alive," he said. "I felt it's a privilege to be in a position to help people," Dennis said. "I appreciate the opportunity that the city and Portage County (which funds the ambulance service) has given me to assist people and be a help to them. The realities of this job and extending that service and knowing, whether it's verbalized or not, that you've helped someone is gratifying." He said he believes he's made a positive contribution to the community during his 30 years with the department and "I leave this job a better person." Dennis said the 30 years went by faster than he expected, but his father had told that. Dennis said his father had told him when he started that "if things go the same as with me, before you know it, you'll be an old man and you won't know where the time went." "I don't know where it went," Dennis said. In retirement Dennis said he'll continue working in a ministry and he'll also do some traveling. His son Joe is a firefighter in Bozeman, Mont., and he's looking forward to going out there to do some skiing and hunting. He also has brothers and sisters in Montana and Colorado to visit, he said. Mark is a 1998 graduate of Stevens Point Area Senior High School and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a major in biology. He also attended Mid-State Technical College for paramedic training, Madison Area Technical College for firefighting training and Montana State University in Bozeman, where he spent a year on a volunteer fire department. He also spent a semester at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia. "I knew I wanted to be a firefighter," Mark said, adding that he also likes to dabble in real estate and has obtained a real estate broker's license.