T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY New Marshalltown Fire Department (MFD) Deputy Chief Curtis Raue, right, gets his badge pinned by his wife Ashley, left, and son Bronson, middle, during a ceremony at the Police/Fire building on Monday afternoon.

It’s been a year of change at the Marshalltown Fire Department (MFD) after new Chief Christopher Cross officially replaced his predecessor, David Rierson, last November, and as of Monday afternoon, Cross now has his second in command in place. The chief, who previously served in that same role for seven-plus years, had the honor of swearing in 15-year MFD veteran and former Capt. Curtis Raue into his new position as deputy fire chief at the Police/Fire Building.

Cross delivered brief remarks about the promotion, which he described as “a significant milestone,” during a ceremony attended by fellow firefighters, police officers and city leaders. He described the deputy position as “an immense responsibility” requiring both skills and a commitment to the mission and the people the MFD serves.

“To our newly promoted deputy chief, your journey to this moment reflects years of hard work, sacrifice and unwavering dedication. You’ve proven yourself as a leader, a mentor and a guardian of our values,” Cross said. “As you step into this role, know that you carry the trust and the support of this entire department and the community.”

The chief also thanked the families of firefighters for their support and involvement in the success and challenges they face on a daily basis. Cross administered the new deputy chief’s oath of office before welcoming Raue’s wife Ashley and their children forward to pin his badge.

Once the swearing in was complete, Raue reflected on his promotion.

“I would say it’s the end of a long journey, but it’s also just the beginning of another one. I look forward to everything it has to hold, and I’m ready to roll. Thank you,” he said.

After taking his family on a tour of the facility, Raue, a lifelong Toledo resident and South Tama County (STC) High School alumni, spoke to the T-R about the path that led him to where he is now and his decision to pursue the necessary education and training for a leadership role in the fire service.

“It’s something that I’ve been working on for a long time, just slowly, piece by piece, and not really knowing where it was gonna go but wanting to be prepared for anything that came up,” he said. “When this process came up, it’s like ‘Well, this is what I’ve been working on, it’s time to go’ and went for it. I’m excited to see where it goes now. It feels like all my work has finally come to an end, but it’s just starting.”

Raue said he and Cross, who first joined the MFD as deputy chief in 2016, have always enjoyed a strong working relationship, and he’s excited for them to continue learning from each other and pushing each other forward in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

“I know we’ve got some small projects on the horizon, but nothing that’s really gonna absolutely change the course of what we’re doing. My vision is more of getting back to basics, polishing up (and) taking what we’re already doing and making it the best that it can possibly be by working on the small details, sweeping the corners type of stuff,” he said.

In addition to his full-time role, Raue is also a volunteer firefighter in Toledo, which he plans to continue albeit likely on a less consistent basis with all of the new duties he’ll be taking on at the MFD.

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.