The Houston City Council on Monday named veteran firefighter Robbie Smith as the community’s fire chief.
Smith replaces Joey Moore, who stepped down at the end of 2018.
Mayor Don Tottingham made the recommendation to name Smith. The council agreed, and the appointment is effective until a new mayor is elected in April. Tottingham will not be a candidate for re-election.
Smith, 44, got his first taste of being a firefighter as a 16-year-old with the City of Houston Fire Department, and is now a lieutenant with that department as well as a training officer with the Houston Rural Fire Department. His firefighting certifications include Incident Commander Type 5 (ICT5), Firefighter Type 1 – Squad Boss (FFT1) and Helicopter Crew Member (HECM T).
Smith is a graduate of Houston High School and has been a professional firefighter doing contract work with the U.S. Forest Service since 2011. He and his wife, Amy, have an 11-year-old daughter named Nola.
The council also approved Glenn McKinney as the city’s new emergency management director. He replaces Jeremy St. John, who resigned last fall.