The city’s emergency manager, Scott Ehlers, 54, was sworn in on Monday as the new Chief for Clearwater Fire Rescue and firefighters hope he can turn around the scandal plagued department.

  • Clearwater has new Fire Rescue Chief
  • Scott Ehlers, 54, was sworn in on Monday
  • He takes over during a turbulent time for agency

“It’s a tremendous feeling to be taking over this department,” Ehlers said. “We have great men and women who respond to the citizens needs on a daily basis and do a phenomenal job.”

Ehlers has 38 years of fire experience, served as Tampa Fire and Rescue’s assistant chief of operations and was hired in 2014 as emergency manager for Clearwater. Ehlers replaced Robert Weiss, who was appointed Fire Chief in May of 2011. Weiss took over when Fire Chief Jim Geer was fired in December of 2010, after being arrested for capital sexual battery. In April of 2012, Geer was found guilty of sexually abusing a teenage girl for years and was sentenced to life in prison.

Since 2012, CFR has also seen a string of sexual misconduct cases at its fire stations. Earlier this year, a supervisor and his subordinate were suspended for allegedly having sex while on duty. In February, assistant fire chief Ron Gemsheim was caught on 7-Eleven surveillance video shoplifting an energy drink while in uniform. Gemsheim resigned a week later and plead no contest to the theft charge in August. A judge adjudicated Gemsheim guilty.


The city’s emergency manager, Scott Ehlers, 54, was sworn in on Monday as the new Chief for Clearwater Fire Rescue.

Ehlers said any large organization with more than 200 employees will likely have a few personnel issues.

“I don’t think it’s any different from any other agency, department or business that’s out there,” he said. “We need to focus in on and take care of, like they’ve done with those incidents, quickly and efficiently.”  

The same week Ehlers was sworn in, surveillance cameras were being installed at the fire stations. The city’s human resources department recommended installing the cameras to help combat the sexual misconduct and increase security at the fire stations. In August, the city council approved $500,000 to purchase the cameras. Ehlers did not say whether he supports the increased surveillance but called it one tool in his box.

“There’s HR development that we need to do at the first line supervisor levels that I think will enhance how our front line supervisors deal with the personnel at those stations,” he said. “It’s not a broke system at all and I look forward to working with all the individuals.”

Fire Union President Sean Becker said firefighters welcome the change in leadership.

“We are happy. Promoting internally is good,” he said. “The low morale is starting to pick up. Chief Ehlers may be the one to bridge the gap between the city and the fire department.” 

Chief Ehlers said one of his goals is foster more openness with the rank and file.

“My focus is to be as visual as possible for the troops out there in the field. To know that their leader is right there with them,” he said. “Overall, I’ve said this before, the department’s very healthy.”