POLK CITY, Iowa — Interim Fire Chief Dan Gubbins has been named fire chief of the Polk City Fire Department. The city council approved the appointment of Gubbins to the position during its regularly scheduled Nov. 12 meeting.

“I am humbled to be chosen as the next leader of the Polk City Fire Department,” Gubbins said. “We have a great group of people that are dedicated to serving this community and I’m honored to be able to lead them and continue our long history of providing outstanding emergency services and community involvement.”

Former Fire Chief Jason Morse retired from the Polk City Fire Department Oct. 1. Gubbins was named interim fire chief during the hiring process. Polk City Mayor Gary Heuertz first made his appointment at the Oct. 22 city council meeting, pending final council approval at the Nov. 12 meeting.

“The Polk City Fire Department has a strong history of commitment to this community and its citizens,” Heuertz said. “I believe Chief Gubbins will continue that tradition, with an eye on continuing to move the department forward as Polk City and its needs continue to grow and change.”

Gubbins joined the Polk City Fire Department in 2000, serving as a firefighter and paramedic. He served as a captain starting in 2002. He was appointed as deputy chief in 2005 and has served in that role since.

“Chief Morse left me with a highly trained and capable leadership team that serves the needs of this department and community well,” Gubbins said. “We have a lot of growth coming to Polk City, so we’ll stay focused on the future needs of equipment, staffing and services to ensure we continue to provide the service our citizens expect.”