SARAH WATSON – Quad City Times, Davenport, Iowa
Davenport Fire Chief Mike Carlsten intends to retire after 32 years with the department, the city announced Wednesday.
Carlsten has led the Davenport Fire Department as chief since 2018. He joined the department in 1993, and was assigned to the Central Station for most of his career, first as a firefighter. He rose in the ranks to engineer, lieutenant, captain, district chief and chief.
He plans to remain with Davenport until at least July 1, 2025, to ensure a smooth transition process, according to the city announcement. The city said it will start a formal search for the next Davenport fire chief immediately.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Davenport,” Carlsten said. “My fondest memories are of the dedicated men and women I’ve served with and the camaraderie we shared.”
Carlsten received the Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence in 2017 and 2020 and was named the American Legion Firefighter of the Year in 2003, according to the city. Carlsten received his master’s in organizational leadership from St. Ambrose University in 2015 and is a Certified Public Manager.
“I want to thank Chief Carlsten for his years of exceptional service to the people of Davenport,” Davenport City Administrator Doug Maxeiner said in a prepared news release. “We wish him the best of luck in his next chapter.”
During Carlsten’s tenure as chief, the city welcomed a new Fire Station 3 in northern Davenport to replace the aging building in the Duck Creek flood plain. Carlsten is known for dressing as Santa Claus and delivering toys on Christmas Eve to children at MercyOne Genesis East.
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