Rhinelander Police and Fire Commission selects new fire chief

Brian Tonnancour accepted an offer for the position this morning, after an interview with the city's police and fire commission.

The final offer is contingent on a background check and drug test.

Tonnancour hails from Waukesha and is currently the assistant fire chief of the Milwaukee Fire Department.

“What I would do is look and see where we stand right now as a department and see what the best way forward for this department to be. I think it’s important to separate this department from many other departments because they’re never all the same,” he said.

Leadership at the Rhinelander Fire Department has turned over in the past year. In January, Terry Williams, the department’s chief of 14 years, retired. Tom Waydick, a deputy chief who became the interim fire chief after Williams departed, also retired in June.