Stedman Named New South Shore Fire Chief

The Mount Pleasant Police & Fire Commission announced Thursday that Robert Stedman is the new South Shore Fire Chief.

Stedman was the Mount Pleasant Fire Chief from 1989 to 1991, and PFC Vice-president Rick McCluskey said Stedman's reputation in the fire service will serve the department and the communities well.

"Bob's professional background and experience is impeccable," he said. "He's well-known to SSFD and I know this will be an outstanding merger of the man and the department."

South Shore Interim Fire Chief Mark Pierce presented Stedman to a gathering of SSFD firefighters, officials from both Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant and two battalion chiefs from Caledonia who know Stedman from when he was an assistant chief there. 

"I look forward to working with both villages and creating a new vision we can work towards together," Stedman said after Pierce introduced him. "I know this is an outstanding department."

The first thing he'll do is learn the lay of the land and then it will be time to make plan, Stedman added. Part of that plan will be to utilize more social media to communicate with residents.

"I know I have a lot to learn around here, and I'm excited by the challenge," he stated. "We need to use tools like social media, and I'm hoping the younger guys can help out with that."

Overall, though, Stedman says he's ready to get to work.

"I am ready to work with all members of the department and officials in both communities," he said. "I thank you all for your support."

William Miller, South Shore union president, said he's pleased with the choice of Stedman because of his experience in the community.

"It's refreshing to have someone of Chief Stedman's caliber come to the department," he said. "I think this means only good things going forward."