Moody sworn in as city’s 8th fulltime fire chief
By Brandi Makuski
When Jb Moody was named assistant chief four years ago, he made it clear he had his eye on someday becoming chief of the Stevens Point Fire Department.
He hit that mark on March 2.
And yes, his first name really is Jb. According to his wife, Miranda, it’s not short for anything.
Moody, 41, is a 21-year veteran of the SPFD and was promoted to assistant chief in 2018. He’s also a veteran of the United States Air Force.
In mid-February, he learned that after weeks of interviews and internal discussions by the Stevens Point Police and Fire Commission, he was the final choice to replace Fire Chief Robert Finn. Finn retired on March 1.
Assistant EMS Chief Joe Gemza emceed the March 2 ceremony, which was held in the engine bay at SPFD headquarters, 1701 Franklin St. Attendees represented numerous local fire and law enforcement agencies, and many from city government. Finn, one day into his retirement, also attended.
“Jb’s been with the department for a long period of time and I consider him a friend, and know in my heart that he has the best interest of the department, and the city, at heart. There’s no one I think would do a better job,” said Mayor Mike Wiza, during his remarks at the midweek swearing-in ceremony.
PFC President Jerry Moore also spoke briefly during the ceremony, remarking that the hiring process was lengthy and challenging.
“[Moody] kept coming back up on top of the pile of candidates. Hiring one of our own is a very special thing. And I know it’s the right thing; I’ve been out in public, and I’ve had old friends I haven’t talked to for a long time come up to me and let me know ‘that’s the guy,'” Moore said, his voice cracking with emotion as he pointed to Moody. “He cares about the people who work here, he cares about the people who live here, and he’s going to do a fantastic job for us.”
Moody was sworn in to his new post by City Clerk Kary Yenter. Afterward, he was awarded a certificate of appreciation by Moore, and his chief’s badge was pinned onto his Class A uniform by his wife, Miranda. He was also presented with a chief’s helmet by Gemza.
Then, he took the podium.
“I’m honored, or rather, should I say, humbled,” Moody said. “It’s a new chapter in the department’s history books.”
Moody then gave a short history of the department. According to his research, SPFD launched with full-time firefighters in 1892. Initially, no one wanted the chief’s job, so firefighters took turns filling the role in a part-time capacity until mid-World War II, in 1943. Since then, only seven full-time chiefs have led the department, making Moody number eight.
Moody thanked his wife, his daughter, Maya, and the rest of his family and friends who were in attendance, and to all the men and women in the fire service who supported him over the years.
Moody said he was also grateful for the support of senior officers at the department who helped make him a better leader.
“I’ve had a lot of people in the past few weeks say, ‘Congratulations, the hard part’s done,'” Moody said. “I always say, ‘Thank you,’ but the hard part has just begun.”
Moody, always fond of saying, “If we’re not moving forward, we’re moving backward,” said he plans to continue improving training, communication, and teamwork at the department.
But his professional goals don’t end there. He plans to increase the city’s ISO rating to a 1, and improve staff levels at SPFD. He also plans on supporting continuing education for all department members, including his own: he is seeking out his Chief Fire Officer certification, an accreditation not dissimilar to a technical degree, but designed specifically for the fire service.
Moody even hopped on a plane four days after the ceremony to take a weeklong command training course in Annapolis, Md.
“What do I always say? ‘If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward,'” Moody said by phone from Annapolis on March 10.
Moody said he’s got firsthand knowledge of the internal challenges experienced by fire departments industry-wide, but also of those specific to the department and Stevens Point. He said he’s learned a lot from the experiences and believes they will benefit the entire department.
“I’m looking forward to future challenges and moving the department forward,” he said. “I don’t take being a community servant lightly, nor should anyone else in our department.”