Shawn Downs in Line to Become Waite Park’s First Full-Time Fire Chief

(KNSI) – Waite Park is close to hiring its first full-time fire chief, a move that would mark a piece of local history for the department.

City Administrator Shaunna Johnson says the city is now negotiating with Shawn Downs after interviewing five candidates last week. For decades, Waite Park has been protected by a part-time, paid-on-call fire department. Johnson says the shift to a full-time chief is due to the job’s responsibilities growing beyond what a part-time chief can handle.

The Waite Park City Council is scheduled to consider Downs’ appointment at its meeting on Monday, June 15th. The full-time position carries a starting salary range of $106,474 to $142,939, depending on qualifications. If the council signs off, Downs would be expected to start on July 1st.

If hired, Downs would bring 28 years of experience across volunteer and professional fire departments. He began as a volunteer with the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department in 1998, advancing through operational and leadership roles before becoming the department’s fire chief in 2012. At the same time, he built a career with the District of Columbia Fire Department, rising through company and chief positions before retiring as a deputy fire chief.

The city says that throughout his career, Downs has focused on firefighter health, safety and operational readiness, serving on committees and working groups addressing firefighter wellness, injury prevention and incident safety. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration and an MBA with a concentration in public administration.

Mayor Ken Schmitt says bringing on a full-time leader will help the city better support its department, particularly with recruitment. The department currently has 18 part-time firefighters, and Schmitt says the city would ideally like to grow that roster to 30. He says a full-time chief would lead the education and recruitment efforts needed to reach that goal.

Recruitment and retention have grown tougher in recent years as training requirements and time commitments have increased. To keep the community protected, Waite Park has an automatic aid agreement with the City of St. Cloud to respond to all fire and medical calls, in addition to mutual aid partnerships across the region. The department responded to 250 calls for service in 2025.

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