The Lubbock City Council on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Richard Stewart, an assistant chief with the Irving Fire Department, as the 11th chief of Lubbock Fire Rescue.
Stewart was one of five finalists for the position announced Aug. 12. He was named the sole finalist Aug. 28. He will be sworn in at a later ceremony.
Stewart has served the Irving Fire Department since 1994 in various roles, including assistant chief of special services, assistant chief of operations and assistant chief of administration, battalion chief of training and communications, the Avalanche-Journal previously reported.
“I stand here today humbled, honored and blessed, and I’m so excited to be here,” Stewart told the council. “I do want to be here. I do want to be engaged in the community. I look forward to working with the phenomenal team that the City of Lubbock has with the exceptional men and women of the fire department.”
Stewart’s appointment is the result of “an intensive, nationwide search,” according to the city. To earn the job, Stewart beat out Robin Bergerson, executive deputy fire chief in Waco; Robert Keinast, interim Lubbock fire chief; Kyle Mills, assistant fire chief in Frisco and Brent Shanklin, assistant fire chief in Arlington.