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This special edition of City E-News was sent on July 19. We have been notified by the
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CITY NAMES NEW FIRE CHIEF
Brian J. Riley, an assistant fire chief in Arlington, has been selected as the next fire chief of
Colleyville. He will take the helm of the Colleyville Fire Department on Sept. 1. As fire
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chief, he will oversee all fire and emergency management operations, as well as fire
administration.
"I'm honored to have been selected and look forward to working with officials, staff, and
the community in Colleyville. I plan to build on what has already been accomplished by the
Colleyville Fire Department and will strive to enhance it. I'm looking forward to getting
started." remarked Riley.
Selected from a field of more than 60 candidates, it was the depth and breadth of Riley's
experience, amassed during a career that began as a fire and aircraft crash/rescue
specialist for the Air Force, that proved to be the key factor in the city's decision. He joined
the Arlington Fire Department in 1981, serving as a firefighter, apparatus operator,
lieutenant, captain, and battalion chief, before being promoted to assistant chief in 1998.
During his tenure in Arlington, he also served as a fire inspector, captain of the Hazardous
Materials Response Team, and as fire training battalion chief. As an assistant chief, he
served in all administrative areas--including fire operations, support operations, and fire
administration, overseeing at various times fire suppression, medical operations, fire
training, emergency management, fire resources, administrative services, dispatch
service, fire prevention, and explosive ordinance disposal.
"Leadership, professionalism, work ethic, flexibility, adaptability, depth of experience, and
commitment to the community--these are just some of the criteria we required in our
choice for fire chief. Brian Riley has demonstrated all of these, along with a wealth of
knowledge and hands-on experience in virtually every aspect of the fire service. I believe
he will be an excellent fit for the department, the city, and most of all the Colleyville
community," remarked Colleyville City Manager Jennifer Fadden.
During his years in Arlington, Riley took a leadership role in preparation and management
of the budget for the department, which encompassed 17 fire stations and 280 sworn
members, and established annual replacement programs for critical firefighting gear and
equipment. He also directed the department's health and safety program, and championed
neighborhood initiative programs. He notes, among his long list of accomplishments, his involvement in
the Citizen Fire Academy classes and establishing Arlington's initial Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT). Riley also served in the FBI's Joint Operation Center as the fire department liaison during
high profile special events such as the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, 2010 World Series baseball games, and
the 2011 Super Bowl.
Riley holds a master firefighter designation from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. He has also
been designated an intermediate fire instructor and Fire Officer I by the commission. He is an active
member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Texas Fire Chiefs Association, Tarrant County
Fire Chiefs Association, and the Fire Prevention Association of North Texas. Riley holds a bachelor's of
business administration in management from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Community involvement is a significant factor for Riley. He currently supports Big Brother and Big
Sisters, American Red Cross, and the United Way.