Steve Denzien started his tenure with the Grand Chute Fire Department in 2023 in the position of Fire Chief. Steve is a Wisconsin native and has over 29 years of fire service and Emergency Medical Services experience. Prior to moving to Grand Chute, Chief Denzien served as Fire Chief for the City of Two Rivers and has held various positions including Division Chief of Training for the Lisbon Fire Department, and Acting Deputy Chief, Lieutenant, Paramedic and Firefighter for the Brookfield Fire Department. He holds a bachelor's degree in Fire Service Management from Southern Illinois University, and a master's degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Chief Denzien is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, is dual credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He shares his knowledge as an Adjunct Instructor with Southern Illinois University and is an active member of the community.



Assistant Chief Matthew Kasriel
Matthew Kasriel's tenure with the Grand Chute Fire Department began in 2014 and he currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Operations. Before moving to Grand Chute, Chief Kasriel served as a Lieutenant in the Training Division of a Fire Department in the Denver Metro Area of Colorado, and previously progressed through the fire service ranks as a career Firefighter, Engineer, and Lieutenant with a Fire Department in the State of Kansas. He holds a bachelor's degree in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering from Oklahoma State University, and a master's degree in Executive Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Chief Kasriel is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, is dual credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer and Chief EMS Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence, and serves as a peer reviewer of candidates for both of these credentials. He is an Adjunct Instructor with Fox Valley Technical College as well as the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, served as the agency's inaugural CFAI accreditation manager, is the Vice President of MABAS Division 127, holds a seat on the Fox Valley Technical College EMS Advisory Board, and is a member of the Outagamie County Communications, Emergency Medical Dispatch, and Local Emergency Planning Committees.



Assistant Chief Kelly Hanink
Kelly Hanink began her service with the Grand Chute Fire Department in 2019 as an Assistant Chief and currently serves in the role of Fire Marshal and Assistant Chief of Community Risk Reduction (CRR). Chief Hanink began her fire service journey in Minnesota where she spent 10 years as a member of a combination department progressing through the ranks of Firefighter / EMT, Apparatus Operator, Lieutenant, and Assistant Chief of Health and Safety.  In 2017 she moved to central Wisconsin and served as the first full-time Fire Chief for a Fire District in the Wausau area. Chief Hanink has an associate’s degree in Fire Science Technology from Hennepin Technical College, a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Chief Hanink is a graduate of the Managing Officer Program and the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and served as a member of the UL FSRI Technical Panel on Fire Attack. Chief Hanink is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Outagamie County Fire Chiefs Association and a member of the Fox Valley Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition. Prior to and overlapping her fire service career, Chief Hanink spent 21 years in the weapons system industry with a defense contractor as a design engineer, engineering manager, program manager, and engineering director.



Battalion Chief Chris Jape
Christopher Jape began his career with GCFD in 2009 as a Part-Time Firefighter.  In 2011 he was hired full-time with GCFD.  He progressed through the career ranks first being promoted as an Engineer and Lieutenant before being promoted to Battalion Chief in 2024. He holds an associate's degree in Fire Protection from Fox Valley Technical College and a bachelor's degree in History from UW-Eau Claire. Battalion Chief Jape is a Certified CPR Instructor, WIIAAI Fire Investigator, Child Passenger Car Seat Technician and a Peer Support Counselor at GCFD.  In addition to serving as the Battalion Chief assigned to A-Shift, Chief Jape provides administrative support and direction for the agency's community risk reduction programs in collaboration with the Assistant Chief of CRR / Fire Marshal.






Battalion Chief Andy Czechansk​i
Andy Czechanski began his career with the GCFD in 2008 as a Firefighter, going on to serve as a career Lieutenant from 2018 to 2021 when he was promoted to Battalion Chief. He is a Nationally Registered and Wisconsin Licensed Paramedic, a Registered Nurse, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee's Community Paramedic Program, and is a Wisconsin Certified EMS Instructor II. Chief Czechanski is a graduate of the Fox Valley Technical College Fire Protection Associate Degree and Paramedic Program, and is an active Adjunct Instructor for FVTC. Andy is a current participant in the Managing Officer Program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and is a graduate from the Registered Nursing (RN) Program at the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. In addition to serving as the Battalion Chief assigned to  B-Shift, Chief Czechanski provides administrative and operational support for the department's Emergency Medical Services Program in collaboration with the Assistant Chief of Operations. 




Battalion Chief Robert Schipper
Robert Schipper began his career as a Paid-on-Call Firefighter with the GCFD in 1996, and progressed through the career ranks as an Engineer and Lieutenant before being promoted to Battalion Chief in 2020. He holds an associate's degree in Fire Protection from Fox Valley Technical College, a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, a master's degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, and has attended numerous courses through the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Chief Schipper is one of only a handful of certified Emergency Services Instructor III in the State of Wisconsin, and is an active Adjunct Instructor with Fox Valley Technical College Fire and EMS programs. In addition to serving as the Battalion Chief assigned to C-Shift, Chief Schipper provides administrative support and direction for the agency's training programs in collaboration with the Assistant Chief of Operations.