Dallas names finalists for Fire-Rescue chief
DALLAS - The list of names to become the next Dallas Fire-Rescue chief has been narrowed to four, the city announced Friday.
What we know:
The list includes two candidates from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, one from Houston and another from Florida.
The city will hold meetings with the candidates Thursday.
Who are the finalists for Dallas Fire-Rescue chief?
What they're saying:
"Dallas Fire-Rescue is a leader in the nation with innovative programs that provide emergency and medical services for all of whom we serve," Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said. "DFR contributes to making Dallas one of the safest large cities in the country, and I am certain we have finalists who can continue to propel it forward."
Justin Ball - Interim Fire Chief, Dallas Fire-Rescue
Dallas Fire-Rescue Interim Chief Justin Ball
Justin Ball has been with DFR since 1997, beginning as a firefighter-paramedic and working all the way up to executive assistant chief of operations.
Ball is credited with leading the department's Stop the Bleed, Single Function Paramedic, and Squad Relief programs, according to a release from the city.
Ball has served as the agency's interim chief since June 2024.
Raymond Hill - Executive Assistant Fire Chief, Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth FD Executive Assistant Fire Chief of Training &Logistical Services Raymond Hill
Raymond Hill is the executive assistant fire chief for the Fort Worth Fire Department.
Hill is credited with leading the Gear-1 PPE cancer mitigation program, Suburban 911 Dispatch and Apparatus Refurbishment Program for the department.
The city says he plays a key role in managing the fire department's budget and leading its training initiatives.
Todd Alt - Assistant Chief of Operations, Tampa Fire Rescue
Todd Alt, assistant chief of operations, Tampa Fire Rescue
Todd Alt has been a firefighter with Tampa Fire Rescue since 2001 where we began as a firefighter and moved up to assistant chief.
Alt oversees the department's emergency response operations, resource management and personnel development.
Alt is also a faculty member at two Tampa-area colleges.
Samuel Peña, Former Fire Chief, Houston and El Paso, Texas
Samuel Peña, Former Fire Chief, Houston and El Paso, TX
Samuel Pena is the chief of disaster preparedness for the Harris County Engineering Department.
Pena spent eight years before that as fire chief for the Houston Fire Department from 2016-2024 and spent 21 years with the El Paso Fire Department, including three as chief.
Pena spent time in El Paso leading the hazardous materials rescue team, the combined search and rescue team and as strategic planning chief and training chief.
What we don't know:
The city conducted a regional search and received 32 applicants before narrowing that list to four finalists.
The city did not say when a decision would be made.
The Source: Information on the finalists for Dallas Fire-Rescue chief comes from a release by the city of Dallas.