Robert Isbell has been selected as the new Fire Chief for the city of Round Rock.[/caption]Isbell has been in fire service for more than 30 years, and has served in every position from firefighter to Chief. He has been the fire chief in Midland since December 2010, and has previous experience as chief in Euless and Southlake.
“We’re thrilled to bring Chief Isbell to Round Rock,” Round Rock City Manager Laurie Hadley said. “His experience and skills are a perfect fit for the fire department and city executive team. We’ll open two new fire stations in December and will break ground on our first public safety training facility in November, and I fully expect Chief Isbell to be able to hit the ground running.”
Hadley’s selection of Isbell will be presented to the Round Rock City Council for approval Oct. 27, and Isbell is expected to report to work Dec. 12.
Isbell said that he has been very selective when applying for positions in other cities, revealing that there was only one other city that he had applied to beside Round Rock, and that was four years ago.
“I want to be part of a winning team in a world-class city,” said Isbell at a meeting with city officials Oct. 10. “And the professionalism that runs through the department is well-known.”
Isbell holds a master’s degree in executive leadership and a bachelor’s degree in public safety administration from Grand Canyon University. He completed the executive fire officer program at the National Fire Academy, and the certified public manager program at Texas Tech University.
He is a Master Firefighter and a licensed paramedic, and has led emergency management responses statewide, has managed advanced EMS delivery in several communities and is a strong advocate for community risk reduction.
A nationwide search was conducted by the city of Round Rock to find a replacement for David Coatney, who accepted the fire chief position for the city of Dallas in June.
