VIDEO: More than two decades after retiring, former Springdale Fire Chief Mickey Jackson still remembers some of the department’s biggest calls like they happened yesterday.
Jackson spent a combined 37 years leading the Springdale and Fayetteville fire departments – an illustrious career in Northwest Arkansas that started in 1964. “Springdale was growing real fast,” Jackson said.
“When I became chief, we had a population of 12,000 people. Gutensohn Road was the west city limits line, and Mountain Road was the east city limits line.”
As the city boomed, Springdale transitioned from an all-volunteer fire department to a full-time force. Out of 16 applicants, Jackson — just 23 years old at the time — was selected as the city’s first full-time paid fire chief.
“Nationally, there weren’t any 23-year-old fire chiefs in the country then,” Jackson said. “So I knew they were taking a chance on me.”
Jackson said the department was in need of modernization when he took over leadership – and the community stood behind them. “There wasn’t any doubt when I took over the department that it was behind the times,” Jackson said.
“A major turning point for me was in 1966 when we presented to the citizens the bond issue just for fire department improvement, and they overwhelmingly approved it.” That investment helped modernize the department.
