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Fort Smith community mourns loss of fire chief

The City of Fort Smith says Chief Phil Christensen battled brain cancer for the last nine months and his death will be considered a line-of-duty death.

FORT SMITH, Ark. — Spanish version: Para español haga click aqui.

The Fort Smith Fire Department (FSFD) is mourning the loss of its Fire Chief, Phil Christensen.

Chief Christensen died Saturday morning, Feb. 11. 

The City of Fort Smith says Chief Christensen battled cancer for the last nine months and his death will be considered a line-of-duty death.

“Phil Christensen was a good man and will be greatly missed. He was an excellent Fire Chief, an asset to and supporter of the City of Fort Smith, and a wise advisor to me," Fort Smith city administrator Carl Geffeken said in a written statement. "I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to Phil's wife, Kim, and the entire Christensen family.”

Credit: Facebook

Chief Christensen joined the FSFD in May 1992 and was named driver in January 1999. He became captain in March 2007, battalion chief in September 2013, and assistant chief in November 2015. In July 2016, he was named fire chief.

"He was a great leader, he was always involved in our local union, the state union," said Darrell Clark Fort Smith Battalion Chief. 

"He was a leader of Fort Smith long before he became the chief. He was the union president," explained Brad Hardin, Fayetteville fire chief. 

As union president, he made a difference across the state and in the city of Fort Smith.

Kevin Settle, City of Fort Smith Director says "Phil was a great person, he was always someone you can count on to be there if you had a question about anything in the city, he pretty much knew it. he was very passionate about his team, his fire team members. He was very passionate about getting the right equipment, safety equipment."

The City of Fort Smith says "Chief Christensen was highly-decorated and well-respected by his peers."

"He's made a lot of great improvements to the department in terms of equipment (emphasizing the safety of all the personnel) here at Fort Smith Fire Department," Clark recalled. 

Settle remembers his passion and says "He was just a big advocate for his team, the men and women of the fire department. He would go to bat for them at every budget meeting or every time funding would come up. We just passed funding for new pumper trucks at the last board meeting so he's just somebody that would fight for his team members."

It is with great sadness that we must report Fire Chief Phil Christensen has passed. Chief Christensen valiantly...

Posted by Fort Smith Fire Department on Saturday, February 11, 2023

Christensen's funeral will take place at Evangel Temple Assembly of God in Fort Smith on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 10:00 a.m. The service will be open to the public. 

City Administrator Carl Geffken has appointed Assistant Chief Boyd Waters as Acting Fire Chief.

Wade Marshall with Arkansas Professional Firefighters Association says "hopefully they can carry on his legacy of cooperation with the firefighters. That will be his legacy I believe, is how well he manages that department."

Credit: Fort Smith Fire Dept.

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