Chad Willemssen

Volunteer
Chad Willemssen
It generally seems like there are two kinds of people in the world – those with a good breadth of knowledge, and those with a depth of knowledge in a chosen field. Chad is one of those rare individuals who has both an extraordinary breadth and depth of knowledge. That makes the Wisconsin native a go-to resource for The Outdoor Kind, LLC.
Have a question on firefighting? Chad’s a lieutenant and firefighter in his area fire department. Wondering about almost any outdoor activity? Chad is a lifelong outdoorsman and hunting safety instructor who taught in the outdoor recreation program at the internationally-known Conserve School in northern Wisconsin. (He also earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology, fisheries biology, and natural history from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.)
Need to know something about wilderness emergency medicine? Chad is also a certified EMT and former Wilderness First Responder. Concerned about the wildland fires you’re reading about in the news? As a former senior firefighter and squad leader for the U.S. Forest Service, Chad can probably tell you what you need to know.
Of course, that blend of knowledge and experience goes far beyond the fields listed above. Chad and wife Jeneen raise chickens, garden, keep bees, grow hazelnut and chestnut trees, build and maintain outbuildings, and brew fantastic beer and make cider.  (Plus, if Chad doesn’t know the answer to a question, it’s likely Jeneen does – she’s a reference librarian!)  The two are avid travelers, including backpacking in Glacier National Park, paddling in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and time spent in Europe (Western and Eastern) and the Caribbean.