MUSCATINE, Iowa – The City of Muscatine invites the community to celebrate Fire Chief Jerry Ewers and his 36-plus years of dedicated public service at an Open House reception. Chief Ewers, who recently announced his retirement effective April 30, 2025, will be honored from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, in the City Council Chambers at Muscatine City Hall, 215 Sycamore Street.
Chief Ewers becomes just the eighth individual to serve as Fire Chief since the Muscatine Fire Department became a paid department in 1916. His predecessors include J.J. Brown (1916-1941), Harold Bierman (1941-1947), Paul Meerdink (1947-1954), Alex Bender (1954-1975), Paul Ziegenhorn (1975-1984), James Pumfrey (1985-1991), and Steve Dalbey (1991-2009).
Ewers began his career with the Muscatine Fire Department on July 18, 1988, advancing through every rank: Firefighter, EMS Coordinator, Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief, and finally Fire Chief. His promotions included Lieutenant in 1996, Captain in 1999, Assistant Chief in 2001, and Fire Chief in 2009.
Throughout his distinguished career, Chief Ewers has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to professional excellence. He holds an Associate of Arts in Fire Science, a Bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration, is a credentialed Fire Officer, and a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program. His accolades include being named Firefighter of the Year by the Muscatine Journal and Career Individual of the Year by the Iowa EMS Association. He also contributed to the International Association of Fire Chiefs' document, Enhancing Fire-Based EMS.
Beyond his work within the department, Ewers also served as Interim City Administrator and Interim Deputy City Clerk for the City of Muscatine from October to December 2019 and as Interim Emergency Management Agency Manager for Muscatine County from June to October 2018.
An active advocate for the fire and EMS professions, Ewers has been a member of the Iowa EMS Association Board since 2008, serving two terms each as President and Vice-President, as well as Immediate Past President. He also served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Iowa Association of Professional Fire Chiefs from 2017 to 2020.
The City of Muscatine thanks Chief Ewers for his decades of service and leadership and invites all community members to join in celebrating his outstanding career.