Stevens Point Fire Department loses one of its own

Metro Wire Staff

The Stevens Point Fire Department has lost a member of its family.

Captain Paul “Pauly” Mattlin lost his battle with colon cancer on Saturday, April 22. Mattlin retired from SPFD last year but remained close with many in the department.

Mattlin started out his career as a paid-on-call firefighter for the village of Whiting before being hired on at Stevens Point Fire Department. He was promoted to captain in 2017.

Following Mattlin’s 2021 diagnoses, a group of firefighters from the Local 484 launched a fundraiser to help offset his medical expenses, as well as the the “Poop for Pauly” awareness campaign, which encouraged men — and firefighters, in general — to get regular medical checkups.

Fire departments across the region wore the campaign’s blue t-shirts on “Mattlin Mondays,” also adorning their helmet and vehicles with stickers brandishing Mattlin’s name and number, 70.

Mattlin leaves behind his wife, Wendy, and their two children. Funeral arrangements are pending.