St. Croix EMS Chief Leaving Hudson After Nine Years

At last week's Hudson Common Council meeting, Mayor Alan Burchill that St. Croix EMS Chief Eric Christensen would be leaving Hudson.

Now we know a little more.

The EMS Commission has recommended that Capt. Kim Eby act as interim chief while a search for Christensen's full-time replacement is underway. Eby's installment as interim chief will be on the March 26 Common Council meeting agenda.

As for Christensen, he's headed to Door County to serve as the Emergency Services Director of its all-full-time county-wide system.

"It's one of only two county systems in the state of Wisconsin," Christensen said. "It's got a good reputation. They run something like 2,500 911 calls per year."

St. Croix EMS is now a city department that uses full-time staff as well as volunteers and responds to nearly 1,800 calls per year (including transfers and fire calls). That number has steadily risen while Christensen has been chief over the past nine years as Hudson's population has grown. 

"It's going to be different," he said. "I'll be going into a whole new place and leaving a place where I kind of had roots. It's a great community, and it's a growing community. And they should be proud of what the staff here has done."

While the move certainly is a step up for Christensen, he says he will miss Hudson.

"This just came about at the right moment and I was honored to get the job, Christensen said. "I'm excited, nervous and sad at the same time. It truly is mixed emotions. I truly enjoy working with the group here. I'm proud of two things: keeping the volunteers active and making a lot of relationships with the community.

"I'd like to thank the community for supporting us. Please keep supporting the system, Christensen said. "It's been an honor and privilege to be a part of this community, and I'll be back to visit."