SLP Fire Chief Luke Stemmer Retiring After 37 Years with Department

A longtime fixture of the St. Louis Park Fire Department will soon be no more, as Fire Chief Luke Stemmer has announced plans to retire as of May 31.

Stemmer, who first started his career with the SLP Fire Department on Aug. 16, 1976, has served as the department's chief for more than a decade. He said he'll be leaving the department in a good place, recognized among its peers as a leader in modern fire service.

"I have had the rare opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a career firefighter for what I believe is one of the best cities, as a member of a truly great department," Stemmer said in a release.  "It's true when they say 'When you love what you do you never work a day in your life.'"

City Manager Tom Harmening announced Stemmer's retirement to city staff via an email last week, according to a release. Harmening said he's glad to have had the opportunity to work alongside Stemmer for so many years.

"He has fostered, cultivated, managed, and led one of the most outstanding Fire Departments in Minnesota," Harmening said in a release. "His will be difficult shoes to fill, and I will miss working with him very much."

Harmening was not immediately available for additional comments regarding Stemmer's departure or the city's search for a new chief.

The St. Louis Park Fire Department presently includes 24 full-time firefighters and 24 paid-on-call firefighters, who responded to more than 4,400 calls last year alone. During his tenure as chief, Stemmer also oversaw the replacement of both of St. Louis Park's aging fire stations in 2012, with a pair of state-of-the-art buildings.

Stemmer has worked as St. Louis Park's fire chief since November 2001, though he's been active throughout the state in leadership roles with a number of organizations, including the Minnesota State Fire Chief's Association (MSFCA), the Chief's Emergency Management Committee and the Statewide Mutual Aid Task Force. He was honored in 2009 by being named Fire Officer of the Year by the MSFCA.

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