A passion for fire service led Jared Powell into full-time work after he attended Emergency Medical Technician school.
Powell, a native of Rogers and graduate of Rogers High School, began working in construction, but a housing market crash in 2008 led to him taking a job in manufacturing. At that time, he attended EMT school and "fell in love with the fire service."
Deputy Chief Powell was named interim fire chief for the Pea Ridge Fire-EMS Department July 2, by Mayor Jackie Crabtree.
Powell's education and training have suited him well for the position. After high school graduation, he attended Arkansas Tech University as a biology major, earned his EMT certification from Northwest Arkansas Community College, graduated from Crowder College Paramedic School in 2016 and is currently enrolled both at NWACC and Northeastern Oklahoma.
Powell graduated from the NWA Metro Chief's Fire Academy in 2017 and has multiple certifications including Officer 1 and Instructor 1 from the Arkansas Fire Academy.
He has been employed as a firefighter/paramedic by the Bella Vista Fire Department since 2016 and has worked for the Pea Ridge Fire Department since 2016.
"My goal as chief is to continue working towards taking PRFD from a 100% volunteer fire department to a paid, full-time combination fire department to meet the needs of the city and the citizens of Pea Ridge," Powell said.
Former Fire Chief Jack Wassman said: "I believe that Jared is going to continue with right on the same track. He's a very sharp, sharp individual who will do this city proud. He's here for this department. He's here for these guys. He's very wise for his age. He's very good. I think he understands a lot of the politics that are going to go alone with this."
Wassman said Powell was deputy fire chief over EMS and personnel and was responsible for running the schedule for firefighters and ordering medications and supplies for the EMS side.
"Nobody realizes the small details involved just to run an ambulance, licensing, personnel, ordering supplies," Wassman said. "EVERYTHING on an ambulance has an expiration date, and we have to maintain all that. It's a full time job."