Tyler fire chief officially retires December 3

Fire Chief Neal Franklin is taking a job with East Texas Medical Center.

TYLER — City of Tyler Fire Chief Neal Franklin announced November 19 that he will retire after more than 23 years with the City of Tyler, effective December 3, 2010. He will be pursuing a new career with East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) as the Director of EMS Business Development.

Franklin was hired by the Fire Department in 1987 as a firefighter. He worked his way through the ranks, serving as an inspector, investigator, driver engineer, captain assigned to the Hazardous Materials team, and then was appointed fire chief in July 2003.

“Chief Franklin has been a strong leader and team member,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel. “He has made many contributions to the Fire Department that will benefit the City for years to come.”

During his tenure as chief, Franklin took steps to grow the department and address long range planning. Under his leadership, the department developed a six-year plan that outlined the addition of two new fire stations as well as the reconstruction and relocation of two existing stations that are outdated. Franklin was also responsible for the implementation of an apparatus replacement program that ensures that aged and obsolete equipment is replaced; since the inception of this program, the city has purchased eight new fire engines. This long-rang plan has resulted in the city receiving a fire protection (ISO) rating of 2, which means that Tyler residents should realize a decrease of up to 8.1 percent on their fire insurance rates.

Chief Franklin also launched a departmental reorganization. Through the redistribution of staffing assignments, the department was able to add another district chief dividing the City into two districts, north and south. This also allowed the city to have ladder companies who specialize in technical rescue in both districts.

“I really want to credit the Mayor, Council and City Management for their consistent support,” said Chief Franklin. “Everyone in my Department works tirelessly. I will miss all of my friends that I have made at the City of Tyler.”

Source: City of Tyler