SPRINGDALE — Springdale’s new fire chief is busy learning procedures and methods of his department.

“I’m learning how the department does things and why they do it that way,” Mike Irwin said. “It’s starting to make sense to me.”

Irwin said he has had to adjust to the humidity since moving from Idaho to begin work Monday. He replaced Duane Atha, who retired in December.

Irwin arrived just after voters approved a bond program to raise up to $9 million for the department. The money will pay for an additional fire station as well as two replacement stations.

The first meeting on where to build the stations and what they will look like came three days after Irwin began.

“He’s had to hit the ground running,” said Mayor Doug Sprouse. “It will be hectic for a while, but he’s learning as quickly as he can.”

Experience has helped, Irwin said. He spent 20 years with the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Fire Department and then three as chief in Pocatello, Idaho.

“The department at Lee’s Summit was about the same size as Springdale’s,” Irwin said. “Pocatello’s provided countywide ambulance service. Springdale responds outside of its city limits with its EMS service.”

Dealing with the growth of the community will be a major task, Irwin said.

“I don’t see a lot that needs to be changed in the procedures,” Irwin said. “There might be a few tweaks, but not too many.”

The arrest of a Fire Department mechanic for using city parts to repair private vehicles and the revelation seminude photographs were shot inside a fire station hurt the image of the department, he said.

“I think it was bad decisions made by a few people,” Irwin said.

The front page test should have been applied, Irwin said.

“If what you are doing was to reach the front page of the newspaper, could you defend it,” Irwin said. “If you can’t, you shouldn’t be doing it.”

Irwin said he didn’t grow up wanting to be a firefighter but fell into it after moving from his hometown in Iola, Kan., to Lee’s Summit.

“I was working in retail for WalMart,” Irwin said. “I had a friend who was a volunteer firefighter. I tried it and loved it.”

Irwin said he plans to visit each of the six fire stations next week and meet each firefighter.

“I want to let them know who I am and see what they have to say,” Irwin said.

The leadership change has been smooth so far, said Jim Vaughan, division chief with the department.

“Chief Irwin is soaking in information and learning about operations,” Vaughan said. “He’s learning a lot about the department.”