COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Council Bluffs has a new fire chief.
Mayor Jill Shudak announced Thursday the appointment of Robert Schoening as fire chief. Schoening, a Mills County native who has been with the department for 24 years, was promoted from captain at Station 2 on the city's west end.
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"I love station 2. I love working on the west end of Council Bluffs. But, I'm excited for everything that's going to come with this fire chief promotion," Schoening said.
He says becoming chief was never part of his original plan.
"It wasn't. I joined the fire department to be a firefighter. I think that's (being chief) a pretty lofty goal. I never once had that goal. I love being firefighter. Of course you find yourself in different positions and that just progresses," he said.
Schoening spent much of his childhood in Southern California before joining the Army.
"I was a medic in the army and, in talking to some firefighters, this was the closest I could get to doing the same thing," he said.
Looking ahead, Schoening identified staffing as one of his top priorities.
"Staffing is a huge issue, I'd say nationwide in the fire service — and law enforcement as well — so, of course, getting more quality applicants to apply to Council Bluffs," he said.
The new chief says he has been overwhelmed by the community's response since Shudak's announcement.
"I love it. It's great. I just have to make sure that I do the right thing and keep moving in the right direction," he said.
Shudak called Schoening the "clear choice" to lead the fire department into the future.
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