The Fire Chief provides executive leadership and overall direction for Spencer Fire-Rescue, ensuring the department is prepared to meet the current and future public safety needs of the community. The Fire Chief oversees the department’s day-to-day operations, including personnel, staffing, recruitment, training, budgeting, policy development, emergency preparedness, regulatory compliance, and long-term planning. The Fire Chief also provides leadership and command during emergency incidents as needed.
Working closely with city leadership, elected officials, regional partners, and other public safety agencies, the Fire Chief promotes effective emergency services, community risk reduction, professional development, and a culture of professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement.
“To enhance the quality of life in our community, reduce threats to life and property through public education and fire prevention by providing exceptional emergency response with courage, integrity and loyalty.”
Spencer Fire-Rescue is a combination fire and emergency services organization staffed by five career personnel and dedicated paid on-call members. The department provides emergency response and community risk reduction services to the City of Spencer and surrounding areas.
Spencer Fire-Rescue responds to a wide range of incidents, including fires, medical emergencies, vehicle crashes, hazardous materials incidents, water rescues, technical rescues, and other calls for assistance.
Beyond emergency response, the department is committed to preventing emergencies before they occur through fire prevention, public education, inspections, preparedness, training, and community engagement. Spencer Fire-Rescue strives to maintain a professional, well-trained, and prepared organization capable of meeting the evolving public safety needs of the community.
Five full-time employees consisting of the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and 3 firefighter/engineers, currently staff the Spencer Fire Department. We are also fortunate to have approximately 30 volunteers who serve our community. Along with the full-time staff, and the volunteers, we have recently started a program in which selected high school students who have an interest in the fire service will be able to help in the safe zones of any fire call. A total complement of 25 people are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide, among other services, fire protection to the citizens of Spencer, 71 rural contract holders, and the Spencer Municipal Airport.
It is an honor to serve as Fire Chief and to lead the dedicated career and paid on-call members of Spencer Fire-Rescue. I bring more than 26 years of fire and emergency services experience to Spencer, beginning as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic in Iowa before spending nearly two decades as a career firefighter. My experiences in fire suppression, emergency medical services, specialized rescue, training, prevention, and leadership have shaped my belief that the fire service must continually learn, adapt, and improve to meet the changing needs of the communities we serve.