Austin Fire Chief Retires After 40 Years | Texas News

After 40 years in public safety, Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker is retiring August 31st—leaving behind a legacy of modernizing the department, boosting firefighter safety, and cutting the vacancy rate to just 5.3%. Despite a major setback when 93% of firefighters voted no confidence over his handling of a deadly flood response, Baker’s leadership earned praise from City Manager T.C. Broadnax. His successor, veteran Tom Vocke, brings deep operational experience and insider connections to ensure a seamless transition. Meanwhile, Austin is launching a nationwide search for a permanent chief to steer the department into its next era of innovation and resilience. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ef6975a58d211470