Fire Chief Larry Hodge

Round Rock Fire Chief Larry Hodge announced Tuesday he would be retiring, effective Feb. 26, 2011, concluding a 40-year career in the fire service. Hodge will be 65 on Feb. 4, 2011.

“I came to Round Rock to finish this phase of my career with an outstanding fire department in an outstanding city and Round Rock has allowed me to meet those goals,” Chief Hodge said. “For this opportunity, I want to say ‘Thank You’ to the firefighters and staff and to the many city employees who have made my tenure successful and to the City Councils, past and present, for their support.”

Among the highlights of Hodge’s tenure in Round Rock:

• The city improved its Public Protection Classification to a 2 in 2010 from a 4 in 2005. Public Protection Classifications, which measure a fire department’s ability to respond to a fire, range from 1 (best) to 10 (worst). 
• The Department began Rescue Apparatus service at stations 3 and 4, with two-person crews as the primary first responder to emergency medical calls that account for more than 70 percent of calls for service.
• The Round Rock Fire Department was the first Fire Department in Williamson County to provide Paramedic Emergency Medical First Responder services.
• The Department grew to seven stations from five, and grew to nine fire companies from six.
• There was one aerial apparatus (ladder truck) in the Department in 2005; now there are three aerial apparatus in front line service and one in reserve.
• In less than five years, Fire Department staffing increased from 86 full time employees to 121 full time employees.
• With the establishment of Emergency Services District #9 in 2006, the City started receiving funds for providing fire and emergency medical services to certain unincorporated areas of Williamson County that we had been providing at no cost.

“Chief Hodge led our Fire Department through a period of tremendous growth and he worked diligently to increase firefighters’ capacity to provide life-saving care to our citizens,” City Manager Jim Nuse said. “His leadership was critical to improving response times and ensuring our firefighters have the best equipment and training to do their jobs.”

The City will begin a nationwide search to find a replacement for Hodge, who began work in Round Rock in 2005.