Fire Chief Has Long History With Oak Creek, Fire Department

When you're a firefighter in a city that's home to a $5 billion power plant, that has a freeway running through it, that is next to a major airport and that has seen exponential growth in the last 30 years, you've just about seen it all.

Such is the case for Tom Rosandich, who began with the 33 years ago and last week was appointed fire chief.

It's been quite a journey for Rosandich, who when he graduated from in 1977, had designs on becoming an architect.

He turned his attention toward firefightering at the suggestion of a co-worker at Sentry, where he worked as a teenager, and enrolled at Milwaukee Area Technical College.

"And as they say, the rest is history," Rosandich said.

Rosandich started as a paid on-call firefighter in his hometown fire department in 1977 and worked his way up the ranks. Over the years, he has seen his share of major incidents.

Paging through a scrapbook in his office, Rosandich noted he is the only Oak Creek firefighter left who responded to the Midwest Express Flight 105 crash, which killed all 31 people on board shortly after it took off for Atlanta in 1985.

He was on an ambulance that day and came around the corner just as trucks arrived to put out the fire.

Rosandich was the first Oak Creek firefighter to call for a Flight for Life when that was introduced to the Milwaukee area in the 1980s.

He dealt with the Anthrax scare in 2001, and in 2009 helped battle the largest fire he's seen in size and scope at the Patrick Cudahy plant.

Many other incidents have involved the We Energies power plant -- the last year, an explosion in 2009, a tunnel fire in 2007.

Its presence in Oak Creek creates a unique set of circumstances for the city's protective services. was built at 3950 E. Oakwood Road specifically so it could respond to calls at the plant.

Rosandich estimated the fire department visits the power plant about 100 times a year.

"What you've got to understand is that the whole city of Oak Creek is assessed at about $3 billion," he said. "But that place is valued at about $5 billion, even though it doesn't show up on the tax rolls.

"It's an interesting place. Kind of like 'eating the elephant' -- one bite at a time, otherwise you can be intimidated by that place real easy. You got to focus on what's on fire and how can you control it."

Major changes

Since Rosandich joined, call volume in Oak Creek has tripled and the department has adjusted to changing technology.

Firefighting has become more dangerous in some aspects, with the influx of household plastics causing house fires to be 10 times as hot.

But it has gotten easier in other ways, particularly with communication.

"We used to have to answer the phone - 762-3030 was the emergency line and you would talk to the person," he said. "Well now you have the whole 911 system, we have joint dispatch with the police and fire, and there's more regimented dispatches which helps in the long run. Sometimes you're going with 2 or 3 guys to a house fire, where now if everybody's in quarters, I could get 12 right off the bat."

And it will continue to change in the years to come, particularly as communities discuss consolidation in the face of budget struggles. Rosandich said a lot of questions still need to be answered on that front.

"On the broad spectrum, is it palatable in the future, and is the cost savings enough to do it or not?" he said.

Easy transition

Rosandich was acting chief for more than a year following the retirement of Brian Satula. The Police and Fire Commission made the appointment last week and the city announced it on Tuesday.

"It was a good choice," Mayor Steve Scaffidi said. "He obviously put his time in with 33 years on the force -- he knows the department, knows the employees."

Rosandich worked with some of the firefighters in the original Oak Creek Fire Department.

Now, he's something of a bridge between generations.

"I got to work with dads of kids I that I was going to school with," Rosandich said. "And they took me under their wing. You greatly appreciate all the mentorship because the first time you fight a fire, you're going, 'Do I really want to do this?'"