A new Fire Chief with 40 years of experience in Wisconsin and Arizona has been hired by the city of Ocean Shores, Mayor Crystal Dingler announced on Monday.

David Bathke will assume command of the Ocean Shores Fire Department later this month, Dingler said.

Bathke started his career in 1977 as a Fire Explorer in New Berlin, Wisc.

“His career has progressed through the ranks in Wisconsin as a firefighter, paramedic, lieutenant, captain, training officer, battalion chief and fire chief: Serving the city of West Bend, city of Wauwatosa, town of Lisbon and Ripon Area Fire District,” a news release said.

Bathke spent the past 4½ years as battalion chief and fire chief of the Hellsgate Fire District in Star Valley, Ariz., and a regional director for the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association.

He also holds a master’s degree in management, a bachelor’s degree in public ddministration and an associate degree in fire ccience and is currently a nationally registered paramedic. He is a past IAFF firefighter’s local union president and executive board member, as well as a past adjunct fire and EMS instructor coordinator at Waukesha County Technical College.

“We are delighted that David Bathke will take the lead as our new fire chief. His expertise and leadership experience will add greatly to our existing talented Ocean Shores’ Fire staff, and provide expanded vision and perspective as we move into the future,” Dingler said.

Bathke takes over a department that has several priority concerns, most specifically with staffing levels.

The Fire Department had 2,254 fire and EMS incidents in 2016, up 6.1 percent from 2015, with 28 percent of the calls doubling, tripling and even quadrupling with other calls, requiring call-outs for help to off-duty staff and volunteers, as well as other fire stations.

“The City conducted an extensive search to fill its vacant fire chief position, seeking a dynamic and visionary leader in the fire service,” Dingler said in the news release.