Tag: Fort Smith Fire Department

Gear safety, more captains part of Fort Smith Fire Department focus

The Fort Smith Fire Department succeeded in meeting its primary objectives in 2023 which including maintaining a healthy and strong workforce, ensuring thorough training, and being fully prepared to respond…

Fort Smith fire chief dies after battle with cancer

Fort Smith Fire Department Chief Phil Christensen has died after a nine-month battle with cancer. He was 54. Christensen, who worked with the fire department since 1992, was named chief…

Emergency calls to Fort Smith Fire Department decline during COVID pandemic

The Fort Smith Fire Department, like most everyone else, was faced with a set of unique challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world in 2020. One of the most…

Fort Smith Fire Department achieves lowest dollar loss from fire damages since 2014

The Fort Smith Fire Department experienced its best year since 2014 for the number of fires and total fire dollar loss in relation to property values, according to its 2017…

Interviews consolidated for Fort Smith Fire Department; minority hiring remains an issue

The Fort Smith Civil Service Commission on Thursday (March 29) voted 3-2 to approve changes to the interview process for new firefighters. Commissioners Marty Shell, Orval Smith, and John Walker…

Christensen named Fort Smith Fire Chief, leaving three top city slots to be filled

Philip Christensen is the new Fort Smith Fire Chief, filling a position that has been vacant since October 2015 when longtime Chief Mike Richards resigned in the middle of a…

Interviews underway for Fort Smith fire chief, six finalists on the list

Fort Smith City Administrator Carl Geffken and Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman are part of the panel interviewing candidates for the open Fort Smith Fire Chief position. Interviews began on…

Minority hiring also an issue at the Fort Smith Fire Department

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Perhaps no one knows the literal implications of this saying better than a firefighter, but Fort Smith residents questioning the city’s lack of diversity could…

Fort Smith Fire Chief to step down Oct. 30, focus on family

Fort Smith Fire Chief Mike Richards said his decision to retire Oct. 30 is “strictly personal” and “absolutely has nothing to do” with what has been a tough budgeting process…

Questions, concerns raised about Fort Smith fire services contracts

Zero Mountain CEO Mark Rumsey is frustrated and concerned about what the city of Fort Smith doesn’t know about a $1,000 a month fire services contract the company has paid…

New Fort Smith, Van Buren fire station per square foot costs nearly equal

Two fire stations built and paid for using sales tax proceeds in Fort Smith and Van Buren came in at nearly the same price per square feet, with the Fort…

Fort Smith Fire Department awarded nearly $700,000 federal grant

The Fort Smith Fire Department was awarded a grant Wednesday (June 25) that will allow it to purchase breathing apparatuses and face masks. The grant was announced by U.S. Sens….

Fort Smith Fire Chief notes donation of money, time

Fort Smith Fire Department Chief Mike Richards said Fort Smith firefighters have given more than $394,000 back to the community since 2007, with that total not including the value of…

Personnel changes set for Fort Smith Fire Department

The Fort Smith Fire Department will host three special ceremonies over the next few days, and the public is invited to attend. The first event will be a promotion ceremony…

Sales tax to fund Fort Smith firefighter jobs after grant expires

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently awarded the Fort Smith Fire Department $987,309 to fund nine new firefighter positions, allowing the department to “increase staffing on aerial firefighter apparatus…