FORNEY, Texas — With the retirement of the long-time Forney Fire Department Chief Rick Townsend, the Forney Fire Department announced today that Assistant Chief Phillip Pyle will step in as acting fire chief.
FORNEY, Texas — With the retirement of the long-time Forney Fire Department Chief Rick Townsend, the Forney Fire Department announced today that Assistant Chief Phillip Pyle will step in as acting fire chief.
Pyle first joined the Forney Fire Department in October 2001 as the department's first full-time paid firefighter. He was later promoted to lieutenant in 2005 and to captain in 2012.
In July 2017, Pyle was notified of his promotion to assistant chief and was presented, in August 2017, with his promotion letter and assistant chief badge by Townsend.
He completed his Fire Service Chief Executive Officer certification through the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service in 2017.
"Phillip and his wife Emily are long time residents of Forney and are well respected and admired in the community," read a Facebook post from the Forney Fire Department earlier today. "When he is not working hard to keep the residents of Forney safe, he is spending time with his one-year-old son, Jackson."
"Assistant Chief Pyle is thankful of Chief Townsend for the many opportunities and for being a service-oriented leader for the department for so many years," continued the post. "Pyle looks forward to continuing his dedicated work and serving the community as acting chief as the Forney Fire Department makes the transition to a new fire chief."
