Marion fire chief finalists to meet public Monday

MARION — Residents will have the chance to meet the four finalists for fire chief Monday evening.

The public reception will be at City Hall, 1225 Sixth Ave., from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The new chief will succeed Deb Krebill, the now-retired chief and longtime member of the department. When Krebill became chief in 2014, she was one of the first female fire chiefs in the state.

The candidates to succeed her and oversee three fire stations, including the new headquarters at 100 Irish Dr., are Jason Hansen, Aaron Beemer, Hal Bumgarner and Tom Fagan.

Hansen, Marion’s deputy fire chief, is serving as the interim fire chief and has been with the department for 23 years. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Ala., and his associate degree from Kirkwood Community College.

Beemer is the deputy chief of operations with the Mason City Fire Department, where he has worked 22 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science administration from Waldorf University in Forest City and an associate degree from North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City.

Bumgarner, who began his career in 1991 as a firefighter and paramedic, is chief officer of the Pottawatomie County, Kan., Emergency Medical Services. He has a master’s degree in security administration from Southwestern College in Kansas, where he also obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology.

Fagan, with 22 years of experience, is division chief of administration for the Lawrence-Douglas (Kan.) County Fire Medical Department. He holds a master’s degree in management, strategy and leadership from Michigan State University, a bachelor’s degree in human resources from Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kan., and an associate degree in fire science technology from Blue River Community College in Independence, Mo.

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