Womack To Name New Fire Chief

Last updated Thursday, January 15, 2009 9:41 PM CST in News

By John Henley Jr.
THE MORNING NEWS

ROGERS -- Mayor Steve Womack is expected to introduce a new fire chief today.

The news conference will take place at 10 a.m. in the City Council chambers at Rogers City Hall.

Thomas C. Jenkins, 27, a deputy fire chief with the Sand Springs, Okla., Fire Department, confirmed Thursday he will be the new chief of the Rogers Fire Department.

Womack on Thursday would neither confirm nor deny whether Jenkins would be the new fire chief.

Jenkins said he and his wife, Erin, will travel to Rogers on Friday to be introduced by Womack. Jenkins said he accepted the position at the Rogers Fire Department because of the progressive city leadership, economic vitality of the area, and most of all because of the Rogers Fire Department and the Rogers firefighters he's met.

"Their work ethic, discipline, knowledge and experience is outstanding," Jenkins said. "I'm honored to be a part of the city, but I'm even more honored to be chosen to lead the Rogers Fire Department."

Allan Skogen has served as the interim chief since Womack removed former Chief Alan Bradrick from duty Dec. 31.

Skogen would not confirm Jenkins was the new chief but said he has visited with Jenkins several times in the past couple of weeks.

"He would be a very good fit for this department," Skogen said. "He'd be one of those guys that would come in and just hit the ground running."

Skogen said Jenkins met with the department's command staff and several other firefighters during his visits.

Jenkins has been with the Sand Springs department for almost five years, all of them as deputy chief. Jenkins was named Sand Springs employee of the year in December.

The Sand Springs department serves a population of about 40,000 people and covers a 64-square-mile area, according to the Sand Springs' Web site.

Jenkins started his firefighting career when he was 16 years old as a volunteer with the Rolling Hills and Oak Grove Fire District in Catoosa, Okla.

While at that department, Jenkins worked his way up to deputy chief before leaving to become deputy chief at the Sand Springs department.

Jenkins received his bachelor's degree in fire protection and safety engineering in 2004 from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. In 2007, Jenkins graduated from the executive fire officer program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md.

Jenkins received his master's degree in public administration in 2008 from the University of Oklahoma in Norman.

THE MORNING NEWS

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