MONROE — As he prepared to move here, the city’s new fire chief says he wants to spend his first weeks listening to firefighters and inspiring new recruits when he starts next week at the helm of Monroe Fire Dept., a mostly volunteer force.
Finding a comfortable place for the Iowa resident – along with his wife and family – to live in the area is also on his mind. And indeed, in some ways house-hunting and starting a new leadership job require a similar mind-set.
“The main thing is understanding the (local) department and learning about the community,” said William Erb on Monday, as he prepared to move from his current home in Coralville, Iowa, near Iowa City. “To say I’m going to come in and change the world right away… in terms of the fire service, well that’s not going to happen.”
Erb, who has extensive experience both as a firefighter and police officer, was chosen from a nationwide recruitment process conducted by the City of Monroe Board of Police and Fire Commission (PFC), which earlier this year officially named Erb the next City of Monroe Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management.
The chief was unanimously selected by the PFC to “continue the tradition of providing prompt, reliable fire and life safety services to the residents and visitors of Monroe through teamwork, communication, and professional career development,” officials said.
Erb’s experience includes fire prevention, control and management including strategic planning, emergency management, and experiences related to EMS and law enforcement, where he even advanced to the rank of Chief of Police for the City of Sioux Rapids, Iowa.
The City of Monroe has also recognized Interim Fire Chief Al Rufer for providing veteran leadership and experience throughout the search process, assisting with the 2022 city budget cycle; and responding to emergency calls.
In addition to helping recruit and retain more volunteer firefighters, Erb says wants to help them adapt and bond as a team of first responders; and with each other.
“Not everyone has the same personality ... in the fire service,” Erb said. “And the generation gap (between old and new firefighters) can be really huge.”
The biggest draw to emergency services for him and any potential new recruits in Monroe, he says, isn’t the financial reward but the ability to help others, neighbors; and to join what he considers an elite group.
“The biggest reason to join is the family you are going into,” he said. “It’s (first-responder family) like no other family that you could ever have.”
Erb and his wife Rachel have been married since 1999 and have six children, including a pair of 18-year-old twins; and the couple’s youngest is 16. They are looking for a home in the Monroe area, something they acknowledge has been a challenge in today’s red-hot housing market.
“You try to bid on something and it’s already gone,” he said. “But we’ll keep trying.”