Homer’s new fire chief is looking forward to heading up “the community’s fire department,” as he called it in an interview Friday with Homer News. Confirmed by the Homer City Council during their Oct. 13 meeting, Daniel Jager officially started his new position at the Homer Volunteer Fire Department on Monday, Oct. 20.

“It’s been going great,” he said. “I’ve been learning more about the department staff — both the career staff and the volunteers — and seeing how the department runs, how the community layout is, and interacting with the different city departments and groups in Homer.

“It’s been a steep learning curve, coming from out of Homer, but everyone has been super helpful and accommodating — I really appreciate that.”

Jager takes the helm from former HVFD Fire Chief Mark Kirko, who joined the department in 2019 and resigned in July. According to a Sept. 30 memorandum to the city council from city manager Melissa Jacobsen, the city received 18 applications in response to their advertisement for a new fire chief. Of those initial 18, eight applicants met the position requirements and received supplemental questions. Five applicants responded, and following review, two were selected for first interviews with a panel of department heads via Zoom. Jacobsen noted that Kenai Fire Chief Jay Teague assisted the panel as a subject matter expert.

The panel recommended Jager for a second in-person interview, and he arrived in Homer on Sept. 23. During the interview process with Jacobsen, Jager also met with the Homer Police Department and HVFD staff on duty, including then-Acting Fire Chief Jaclyn Arndt. Jacobsen noted in the memo that HVFD staff volunteers shared positive feedback with her regarding Jager as their potential new chief.

A lifelong Alaskan, Jager started his career as a volunteer firefighter and worked his way up the ranks as senior captain, lieutenant and assistant fire chief. While he has previously worked in Cordova, Fairbanks and North Pole, Valdez, Anchorage, and Washington state, he came to Homer from Juneau, where he most recently served as the assistant fire chief of operations.

Jager said Friday that he worked at Capital City Fire/Rescue for “a little over 20 years,” starting out as a fire inspector. He became a deputy fire marshal in 2006, then fire marshal in 2008, before being hired as the assistant fire chief of operations in 2023.

The biggest difference this first week, he said, is that he’s used to a “much busier” department. In Juneau, he previously worked with about 100 staff members and, as the only fire department for the whole city and borough of Juneau, CCFR responded to approximately 10,000 calls a year.

“Homer is a little bit slower paced, but it’s still busy because of the size of the community and staffing,” Jager said. “We’re going on the same kinds of calls, just on a different frequency.”

He said his prior experience has prepared him for his new role in Homer with regard to resource management, staffing and scheduling. He also appreciated the mutual aid agreements with Kachemak Emergency Services and Western Emergency Services, and the positive relationships that have been built up there to allow for better cooperation and better services for the community.

“That’s an important aspect to maintain, and a very strong benefit,” he said.

Most of all, Jager is looking forward to interacting with the public. That includes, he said, public education opportunities and station tours, so that the community can learn about what HVFD does and how the station operates.

“This is the community’s fire department,” he said. “I want people to understand that, and to feel like they can stop in and say hi. That’s the highlight of the department.“

Jager also emphasized the high value he places on volunteerism in fire departments.

“I know there’s concern from various groups about volunteering — I encourage volunteerism to happen,” he said. “We have paid staff, but we absolutely need the help of volunteers, and I hope to see that grow in the future.”

Learn more about the Homer Volunteer Fire Department at www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/fire, or find them on Facebook.