PASCO, Wash.- Pasco Fire Chief Bob Gear is retiring on May 31 after nearly 50 years in firefighting, including the past 14 as Chief.
“Chief Gear has been an incredible leader who has navigated Pasco through the fight against COVID and set a high bar for leadership in the Fire Service,” said City Manager Adam Lincoln. “We are immensely proud and thankful for his work and dedication to the City of Pasco.”
Chief Gear began his career in 1976 with King County Fire District 43 in Maple Valley. From 1984 until 2009 he was the Chief of Benton County Fire District 1. He has been Pasco’s Fire Chief since 2009.
Throughout his career Chief Gear responded to several large fires in Washington and throughout the west. According to a Pasco press release announcing his retirement Chief Gear assisted the NYFD after the 9/11 attacks and NASA with the Columbia space shuttle recovery. In 2018 he was named “Washington Fire Chief of the Year.”
Pasco is currently interviewing five finalists for the Fire Chief position and hopes to hire a new Chief soon.