City of Kalispell Announces New Fire ChiefFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Kalispell Announces New Fire Chief
Kalispell, MT, March 14, 2025
The City of Kalispell is pleased to announce that seasoned fire service professional Jay
Hagen has been appointed as the new Fire Chief of the Kalispell Fire Department,
beginning May 5. Chief Hagen joins us from the Bellevue, Washington Fire Department,
where he has served with distinction as Fire Chief since 2018.
Chief Hagen is replacing retiring Fire Chief Dan Pearce. During his tenure, Chief Pearce
and his leadership team played a crucial role in the passage of the 2024 emergency
responder levy and addressing operational and staffing recommendations made by the
Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM). While we will miss Chief Pearce and
appreciate his leadership, we are confident that Chief Hagen will uphold the
commitment to excellence in Fire and Emergency Medical Response that the
department has established. Chief Hagen explained, "I am excited and grateful to be
joining the team at the City of Kalispell and returning to western Montana where I
started in the fire service many years ago."
Chief Hagen has served in a variety of positions from
operations and fire prevention to training and high-level
administration. With over 30 years of experience, starting his
career with the City of Missoula Fire Department, he brings a
wealth of knowledge and extensive education to his new role.
Hagen received a bachelor's degree in organizational
communications from the University of Montana and a Master
of Arts degree in Homeland Security and Defense from the
Naval Postgraduate School in California. His commitment to
public service is reflected in his Chief Fire Officer (CFO)
designation from the Center for Public Safety , Excellenceand
the recent 2024 Distinguished Service Award given to him by the King County Fire
Chief's Association — 2024 Administrator of the Year.
"Chief Hagen is the ideal fit to lead our fire department into the future," said City
Manager Doug Russell. "As we enter this phase of rapid growth, we will continue to
work on deploying the recommendations outlined in the 2023 CPSM report, which
includes building and operating an additional fire station. Chief Hagen has successfully
overseen similar capital and organizational changes in the city of Bellevue, and we are
confident in his leadership and strategic planning abilities."
For additional information, please contact City Manager Doug Russell at 406-758-7703,
or drussell@kalispell.com.