Papillion Fire Chief announces retirement

PAPILLION, Neb. (WOWT) - Papillion Fire Chief Bill Bowes has announced his retirement.

Bowes has served as Chief of the Papillion Fire Department for 16 years.

According to the Papillion Fire Department, Bowes has seen many milestones during his time there. Bowes opened a new fire station in 2009 and helped transition the department to a fully professional staff by 2010.

In 2014 Bowes also helped bring professional fire and EMS services to the City of La Vista.

“Bill has been everything you could ask for in a leader,” said Mayor David Black. “He’s guided the department through tremendous growth and change, and he’s been a trusted, friendly face to each of the communities the department serves. Bill is an individual with great integrity, and we’ve also been fortunate to have him make a positive impact on our staff through our employee leadership program. Thank you for your service, Bill, and we wish you all the best!”

When Bowes first started, he was responsible for a department of 18 career firefighters and 20 volunteer firefighters. He currently leads a department of 60 professional firefighters and eight other staff members across four fire stations.

“The Papillion and La Vista communities have been wonderful to work in,” said Fire Chief Bill Bowes. “I have been fortunate to meet and work with so many great people along the way, and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to make a positive impact on the quality of life in this area.”

Bowes’ last day will be March 31, 2023. He will finish his career with 38 total years of service as a firefighter, including his time with the Omaha Fire Department.

Copyright 2022 WOWT. All rights reserved.