Fire Department

After 32 years of dedicated service to the City of Madison, Fire Chief Steven Davis announces his retirement from the Madison Fire Department effective April 1, 2022.

In a blog post published today, Davis wrote, “When I was appointed Fire Chief on January 2, 2012, I made a promise to the organization, to the community, to my family, and to myself that I would serve to the best of my ability and with honor and dignity for 10 years. My time has come and I feel like I have fulfilled that promise.”

Davis joined the Madison Fire Department as a firefighter recruit in August 1989. He went on to serve as a firefighter, paramedic, training officer, lieutenant, and division chief before being appointed Fire Chief in 2012. Over the course of his career he was also a member of the MFD Lake Rescue Team, Hazardous Incident Team, and Heavy Urban Rescue Team.

During his tenure as Fire Chief, Davis oversaw the addition of two new fire stations; the expansion of fire and emergency medical services into Shorewood Hills, Blooming Grove, Town of Burke, and Town of Madison; the launch of the Madison Fire Department’s Community Paramedicine program—and more recently the CARES initiative—plus the establishment of the MFD Peer Support Team. He also ushered in environmentally-friendly innovations such as the acquisition of PFAS-free firefighting foam and the adoption of green technology at new and existing fire stations.

The past decade also brought its challenges, Davis wrote, including the tragic and untimely deaths of two active-duty firefighters, and “the shifting landscape brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

As he prepares to step down from his post, Davis expresses his gratitude to the community for its longtime and continued support of the Madison Fire Department. He also thanks his colleagues in City government for their commitment to open dialogue and collaboration during his tenure. To the members of the Madison Fire Department, he says, “I have truly enjoyed working with each and every one of you. I am simply awestruck by the dedication that all of you display each and every day.”

Davis describes his 32 years with the Madison Fire Department as an incredible and rewarding journey. “I am very humbled to be your servant,” he said. “I wouldn’t have traded this experience for the world.”