Cannon Falls resident Mike Scott was named the 2024 Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association Fire Officer of the Year this past spring. He was then honored at the MSFCA annual conference in Duluth on Oct. 18.
Scott came out of retirement to help lead and reorganize the Shakopee Fire Department after their previous chief resigned after an investigation. According to a release issued by the Shakopee Fire Department, he:
“Focused on building the next generation of leaders for the Shakopee Fire Department; advocated for implementing new and improved policies and procedures; supported employing new incident command procedures; overhauled the department fleet to better align with operations; advocated for the proper renovation of existing fire stations to improve the working conditions for firefighters and ensure the department has the facilities to serve the community effectively; advocated for improved firefighter training and meeting training standards; and he was instrumental in to the City in completing a department services evaluation study which identified key challenges of effective leadership, adherence to safety and standards, and adequate staffing and employment.”
Scott said that being part of the team to help create the new foundation of the department, with the help of the “silent majority” in the department, was “extremely rewarding.”
“It’s a great honor to be reorganized by my peers but as any leader knows, it’s having a good team that allows you to accomplish your goals or missions,” said Scott. “I was fortunate to have a good team in Shakopee who wanted change within their organization and had the courage to step up and help make those changes.”
Scott was nominated by City Administrator William Reynolds and Assistant City Administrator Chelsea Petersen, who both submitted letters in support of his winning the award to the MSFCA. Reynolds cited his “exceptional leadership, dedication and contribution to the fire service”, that the leadership he exhibited under trying circumstances was rare and that “his actions have been nothing short of remarkable.”
Reynolds finished his letter by saying “leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, service to the public and contributions to the fire service outline this gentleman and his way of doing business.”
Petersen lauded the work that Scott did in his close to a year with the fire department, which turned out to be much more difficult than anticipated.
“Though the position ended up being much more than Chief Scott bargained for, he remained
committed far beyond the initially agreed-upon time frame,” said Petersen in her letter. “He built trust and consensus little by little and has transformed the department into something we can all be proud of.”
Prior to his retirement, Scott served as the Eagan Fire Chief from 2006-2021 and was also honored by the MSFCA as the Fire Officer of the Year in 2018. He is currently serving as St. Louis Park’s interim Fire Chief and lives in rural Cannon Falls.