By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
David Harrison is the new chief of the Del Rio Fire Department.
Harrison, a 29-year veteran of the DRFD, was confirmed as the department’s next chief and sworn in during Tuesday’s meeting of the Del Rio City Council.
Del Rio Mayor Bruno “Ralphy” Lozano made the motion to approve a resolution confirming Harrison’s appointment by Interim City Manager John Sheedy, with Councilwoman Alexandra Falcon Calderon giving the second. The motion passed unanimously.
“Good evening, members of the council, Mr. Lozano, Mr. Sheedy, Mr. Chavez, city staff. I want to thank everybody for this opportunity. I want to thank my wife Connie, who couldn’t be here tonight, for pushing me to always take those promotional exams,” Harrison said following the council’s vote.
“I want to take some time to thank the staff and the members of the department for everything that they do to make the department the exceptional department that it is. Thank you all,” the new chief added.
The mayor and council members congratulated Harrison, and then Municipal Judge Eric Bayne administered the oath of office.
Harrison has spent his entire city career in the fire department. He was hired as a city firefighter in February 1992 and has served in every tested position in the department, moving through the ranks as fire engineer, lieutenant, administrative fire captain and assistant chief.
Harrison was appointed deputy fire chief by his predecessor as chief, Joe Harrington, in January 2017, and was then appointed interim fire chief upon Harrington’s retirement in June.
Harrison holds basic, intermediate and advanced certifications from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP), as well as a fire service instructor I certification.
Harrison was named DRFD’s Paid Firefighter of the Year in 1998 and also that year was awarded a medal of honor by the department for his actions during the devastating floods of the San Felipe and Cienegas creeks in August of that year.
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Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
