Former Austin Fire Chief Bill Roberts has died at the age of 85.

A former Austin fire chief died earlier this month, according to the department.

Bill Roberts, who led the AFD from 1983 to 1994, died on January 16 at the age of 85.

“Our deepest condolences to Bill’s family. We are eternally grateful to him for everything he has done for our department, as well as for the fire service in general. He was a pioneer and one of a kind,” the department said in a statement. “R.I.P. Bill, see you upstairs.”

Born in 1938 in Deport, Texas, Roberts served in the Texas Air National Guard from 1960 to 1966 as an emergency/firefighter and spent 25 years with the Dallas Municipal/Dallas Fire Department, rising to the position of Assistant Chief of Administration. He also received national recognition for the development and implementation of their EMS system, the first paramedical care system in Texas, according to AFD.

Roberts was hired in March 1983 as the Austin Fire Chief, where he remained until 1994. While at AFD, he implemented a high volume smoke extraction system known as the “Smoke Buster” which went into operation in 1984, AFD reports. The system, a giant fan placed in the back of a truck whose designated driver responded to every fire in the city, was the brainchild of Chief Roberts; it revolutionized the concept of positive pressure ventilation and influenced the fire service across the country.

Chief Roberts was also responsible for building AFD’s reputation as a pioneer of innovation in the fire service, including personal safety systems (PASS devices), thermal imaging cameras (TICs), vehicle command posts and fire engine deck guns, as well as the development of the Scott AirPak Snub Valve. . Also, at a time when three-person staffing was the norm, Roberts introduced “manpower divisions” to get more firefighters on fire, AFD reported.

Roberts also served on the board of the National Fire Academy, was a member of the National Association of Fire Chiefs, a member of Mensa International listed in America’s Who’s Who, and a longtime member of Rotary International.

In 1994, Chief Roberts retired to the mountains of Western North Carolina, where he lived until his death. In 1995, the new Public Safety Training Center at 4800 Shaw Lane opened for business and was dedicated to Chief Roberts in honor of his years of service.

He is survived by his daughter Renée Burks of Hamilton, Texas and one grandson. Private worship services will be held.

If you’d like to leave a note for the Roberts family, you can do so. through the funeral home’s web portal.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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