FORT SMITH -- Fort Smith's assistant fire chief became head of the department effective Monday, City Administrator Carl Geffken has announced.
Philip P. Christensen has 23 years of fire and rescue experience. During his career in Fort Smith, Christensen has served as a firefighter, driver, captain battalion chief, division chief of operations and assistant chief.
Christensen was among six finalists who applied for the job, according to the Fort Smith Human Resources Department. He succeeds Michael Richards, who retired as chief in October after a 33-year career with the Fire Department.
Christensen is the fourth department head to be hired in Fort Smith within the past year. Geffken went to work as city administrator in April; Mark Schlievert was hired as director of the Sanitation Department in March; and Jennifer Walker took over as the city's finance director in October.
The city hired Strategic Government Resources of Keller, Texas, which last month began seeking applicants for department-head vacancies in the Police Department, Utilities Department and human resources.
State Desk on 07/20/2016