The City of Columbia Falls has a new fire chief.

Monday the City Council voted to appoint Rick Hagen to serve as Fire Chief for the Columbia Falls Fire Department. He was sworn in that night and began work Tuesday morning.

Hagen served as a member of the Bad Rock Volunteer Fire Department for 15 years and held the position of fire chief for that department also.

Hagen said he loves Columbia Falls.

"I expect to do a very good job with this," he told the council.

Former Fire Chief Bob Webber was relieved of his duties in June, and in August the city began searching for a new chief. Jesse Best served as interim fire chief during the search.

The city received 24 applications for the position. A hiring committee comprised of city council members and representatives from the Columbia Falls Rural Fire Board and Volunteer Firefighters Association reviewed the applications.

Questionnaires were sent to 10 candidates, and then two were interviewed by the committee and the firefighters. The committee recommended Hagen for the job.

Hagen's starting salary is $50,000.

In 2004, Columbia Falls hired its first full-time fire chief and has since terminated two in the position.

The fire chief oversees 30 volunteer firefighters. Duties include establishing policies, preparing an annual budget, responding to alarms, directing emergency scenes, conducting fire investigations and overseeing recruitment and training of personnel.