The City of Davenport is proud to announce the selection of Jeff VanderWiere as the next Chief of the Davenport Fire Department, effective November 3, 2025. VanderWiere succeeds Chief Mike Carlsten, who announced earlier this year he would retire after 32 years of service with the City of Davenport.
VanderWiere has over 29 years of fire/EMS/emergency management experience with a solid foundation in budgeting, strategic planning, project management, and policy development. VanderWiere has worked for the Portage Department of Public Safety in Portage, Michigan since 2020, serving as the Deputy Director of Public Safety, Deputy Fire Chief and Division Chief-Fire Marshal. Prior to that, he served with the Department of Public Safety in Kalamazoo, Michigan from 1996-2020, holding the ranks of Assistant Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant, and Public Safety Officer.
“I am deeply honored and privileged to be named the next Fire Chief for the City of Davenport,” said VanderWiere. “This is a tremendous responsibility, and I’m committed to leading with integrity and a clear focus on putting the community first.”
As Fire Chief, VanderWiere will oversee the department of 135 sworn personnel and two civilians. The department currently staffs eight engine companies and three truck companies, which respond from seven stations throughout the city. “I look forward to building on the department’s strong legacy of service by strengthening community partnerships and, most importantly, championing our firefighters—ensuring they have the tools, training, and support they need to serve with excellence,” VanderWiere said. “Together, we will continue delivering the highest standard of protection and service to the people of Davenport.”
“I am extremely pleased to get a candidate of Jeff’s caliber to join our team,” said City Administrator Doug Maxeiner. “We were looking for a Chief with a collaborative leadership style who has a desire to communicate both within his or her department and the organization while also dedicated to building future leaders from within the department. I think we hit it out of the park on all three points with Chief VanderWiere. This is an important hire for the City of Davenport and for the Davenport Fire Department, and I couldn’t be happier to welcome Jeff onboard.”
VanderWiere holds a Master’s Degree in Administration from Central Michigan University and is certified as an Executive Fire Officer through the National Fire Academy. VanderWiere will be sworn in at the Committee of the Whole meeting on November 5, 2025. A public open house will be held to meet the new Fire Chief on Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Fire Station 3, 300 E. 42nd Street.
The Davenport Fire Department is proud to be one of only 311 accredited agencies through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). The Department’s current Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating is a Class 2/2X, putting DFD in the top 5% of departments nationwide.
The City of Davenport would like to give its sincere thanks to outgoing Chief Carlsten for his dedication to the department over the last 32 years and through the transition.