"There are so many different emotions. If you saved a house, you have a sense of accomplishment; if you go to a car accident, and if you get someone into an ambulance that's still alive, you feel good." -Jerry Deuman
Balancing Duty: Waupaca Foundry’s Jerry Deuman Exemplifies Volunteerism
Mary Schmidt | Waupaca FoundrySince 2004, Jerry Deuman has reported to work daily at Waupaca Foundry, but for the past 30 years, he’s also been volunteering for the Waupaca Area Fire District (WAFD). Deuman retired from the role of Fire Chief in 2024 and concluded his service with the WAFD in January 2025, leaving behind a remarkable legacy.
The Waupaca Area Fire District protects 147 square miles. Its coverage includes the City of Waupaca and the Townships of Waupaca, Farmington, Dayton, Lind, and portions of Lanark and Belmont in Portage County. This area is protected by 32 volunteer firefighters and one full-time chief.
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Former Fire Cheif and Waupaca Foundry Maintenance Manager, Jerry Deuman is pictured with WAFD's new Pierce Manufacturing Pumper fire truck.
By day, he's a maintenance manager at Waupaca Foundry, where he started as an electrician. But for three decades, he's been on call to answer fires, accidents, gas leaks, and even downed power lines. Waupaca Foundry has an unusual commitment to the fire district: if an employee is also on the volunteer fire department and is called out during a work shift, they are still paid their full hourly rate while on the fire call.
"We have a commitment to our community," said Executive Vice President of Administration & CFO Rob Johnson. "The safety of our team members and their families is our highest priority. Leaders like Jerry exemplify this through this commitment to serving and protecting others, which he did for our community for decades. We're proud of his service."
Waupaca Foundry currently has six employees who are volunteer firefighters for the Waupaca fire department and countless other neighboring fire departments. "Without the community support and local businesses, WAFD wouldn't be what it is today," Deuman said. "The Waupaca area is special."
For Deauman, volunteering was a generational commitment. His father-in-law was fire chief for 34 years and "volun-told" Deuman he was joining the ranks. When he started, he was working third shift at the foundry and answering emergency calls.
August 30, 2019. Pictured is Jeff Maiman from The Wheelhouse Restaurant presenting a check to Chief Jerry Deuman and Lieutenant Andy Wanty from the annual Corn Roast heald at the Wheelhouse on July 27th. $6,501 was raised from The Wheelhouse and Donations from all attending. We would like to thank Jeff, the Wheelhouse Staff and all who attended the event!
"I remember getting about three hours of sleep during the day, going to my kids' events at school, catching a quick nap before I went to work, and also being called out on fires," Deuman said. "Long story short, it's just about helping out communities, neighbors, friends, and whoever is in need."
Jeff Myers is a purchasing manager at Waupaca Foundry and has been a volunteer firefighter for 25 years. He says the volunteer aspect of fire protection has grown largely because of Deuman.
"Jerry's always been a leader," Myers said. "When I went into his office to thank him for being chief, he got emotional. It all comes to this: we don't do it for ourselves, we do it for the community."
The 2023 Battle of the Badges had a great turnout and beautiful weather. Mark and Todd Petersen,
pictured with Dan Buenning and Jerry Deuman with the Waupaca Area Fire Department,
are the 2023 Battle Champions!
Deuman also led a reorganization and added volunteers to the state retirement program, put captains and lieutenants in charge of specific areas such as vehicles, computers, and other equipment, and impressed the state of Wisconsin auditors.
The state auditors can't believe we can leave our jobs [at Waupaca Foundry], put on our gear, get in the trucks and leave for a call in five minutes. It makes us feel really good because our response time is so quick," Deuman said.
Live house burn training, October 2016: Four scenarios tested WAFD skills. Pictured (left to right) are Jeff Myers, Andy Wanty, and Jerry Deuman in the accountability tent, which ensured firefighter tracking and safety during the drills.
By far his biggest legacy is leaving the department with a full-time fire chief. Jake Waller was hired by the City of Waupaca on August 5, 2024, replacing Jerry, who served as chief since 2016. He credits Jerry with building lasting community relationships and expanding the fire department's role. A major challenge for the department was taking responsibility for fire protection at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, which required patience and teamwork with the state.
"Jerry has been a great mentor/teacher to everyone on this department, always willing to take time to teach and explain the reasoning behind it," Waller said. "Jerry always took a 10,000-foot view of the issue and saw the big picture. His knowledge and leadership will be greatly missed on the fire ground but also in the fire department."
When asked why he dedicated so much of his life to the volunteer fire department, Deuman has a simple response.
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