Arlington City Manager appointed new fire chief

Arlington - Arlington's City Manager, Trey Yelverton, has recently announced the appointment of Bret Stidham as the City of Arlington’s new fire chief and director of emergency management. Stidham brings with him an impressive track record, with three decades of professional experience in the firefighting sector at Dallas Fire-Rescue.

Having held the role of deputy at Dallas Fire-Rescue since 2019, in addition to a two-year stint as the assistant fire chief of emergency operations and special operations, Stidham is undoubtedly well-prepared for his new responsibilities. As of August 7, he will take command of Arlington's Fire Department, overseeing its 399 members and the 113-strong 911 Dispatch Center. Until that date, Assistant Fire Chief Jonathan Ingols will retain his position as the department's interim fire chief.

The search for the new fire chief was prompted by Fire Chief Don Crowson's retirement announcement following a distinguished 40-year career. The position attracted nearly 50 applications from public safety professionals nationwide. Stidham emerged from a competitive selection process, which included multiple panel interviews and a public forum allowing direct community interaction with the candidates.

“Chief Stidham stood out in a very robust selection process and everyone we spoke with who had the chance to work with him in the City of Dallas had nothing but glowing remarks about his leadership, skills and ability to collaborate,” Yelverton said.

Stidham has expressed enthusiasm for his new position in Arlington, a bustling city with almost 400,000 inhabitants and an annual influx of over 14 million visitors.

“I feel like my 30-year career has led me to this moment. There’s a lot going on in Arlington – it’s a destination city and a city on the grow,” said Stidham, who said he grew up in North Texas and has visited Arlington for Rangers and Cowboys games, days at Six Flags Over Texas and other activities throughout his life. “This is a fire chief’s dream job, to be honest.”

Bret Stidham, Arlington’s newly appointed fire chief and director of emergency management, comes with an impressive portfolio of experience. For 15 years, he has been an instructor at esteemed institutions such as Tarrant County College, Collin College, and Dallas Fire-Rescue. He also served as a rescue team manager for Texas Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2.

Stidham is well versed in handling large-scale operations and management teams. His resume includes directing a federal medical station treating Covid-19 patients and overseeing a mass vaccination site that dispensed over 30,000 vaccinations during the pandemic.

In 2018, Stidham was appointed Deputy Chief of Operations for Texas during Hurricane Harvey. As part of his duties, he worked alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Incident Support Team and Houston Fire's command staff, overseeing operations for all rescue personnel.

Stidham said he saw a “tremendous spirit among the men and women that work at the Arlington Fire Department” when touring several of the City’s fire stations during the interview process.

“You can see the passion they have for the department, for the city, and the fire service,” Stidham said. “I’m very excited about this opportunity, getting out and meeting the men and women of the department, and listening. I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running.”

The newly-appointed fire chief's qualifications are noteworthy. He is a Texas Fire Chiefs Association Certified Fire Executive, has a rescue specialist certification from Texas A&M University, and holds an Associate of Applied Science in fire administration from Weatherford College. Moreover, he completed his Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in fire administration from Texas A&M University-San Antonio, and earned a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Credit: Dallas Metro News, City of Arlington