MESSAGE FROM
THE CHIEF
On behalf of the Southlake Fire Department , I am pleased to present the 2016 Annual Report . This report presents some of the most notable accomplishments of 2016 for the Southlake Fire Department . We strive every day to fulfill our city and department ’ s mission and vision and each of the achievements noted in this report represent our staff ’ s commitment to the City ’ s core values : Integrity , Innovation , Accountability , Excellence and Teamwork .
2016 marked a very important milestone for the department as we celebrated half a century of service to the residents of Southlake . It is our continued desire to provide professional , respectful and compassionate emergency services to those in need , and while we cannot predict the changes that Southlake will undergo in the next 50 years , we can know for certain that our successes will be because of strong relationships we have built within the community .
I would like to thank the Southlake community for its continued support of our department . I would also like to thank the Mayor , City Management , and Members of the Council for their leadership and support , which has enabled us to offer the exceptional level of emergency response services that we provide .
I would especially like to thank the dedicated men and women of the Southlake Fire Department , of which I am so proud to serve as Fire Chief . This annual report , and the achievements detailed within it , serve as a testament to their abilities .
Michael Starr , Fire Chief
IN MEMORIAM : CHIEF “ BOB ” STEELE In January 2016 , we lost a dear member of our community , Robert Steele , Southlake ’ s longest standing Fire Chief . Steele began his career in 1967 as a volunteer firefighter and was the first paid Fire Chief for the City of Southlake serving for nearly a quarter century . Thanks to his leadership and work with City mayors , council members and staff , he helped to create the outstanding Fire Department we have today . Chief Steele will be remembered for his invaluable contributions , within and beyond the City of Southlake . We are grateful to him for making our community safer , and he will be missed tremendously .