By Lillie Davidson
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday appointed a 28-year veteran of the city’s fire department to serve as its interim chief beginning in September, according to a statement.
Assistant Fire Chief James Horton will assume the role Sep. 1 when the current interim fire chief, Raymond Hill, retires, according to the statement. Horton previously served as deputy fire chief from 2022 through September of last year.
| WHAT FIREFIGHTERS WANT: Annual report spotlights training needs
Hill took over for previous fire chief Jim Davis last fall after Davis resigned while on administrative leave, the Star-Telegram reported.
The city plans to conduct a nationwide search for its next permanent fire chief, according to the statement.
“Chief Horton is a trusted leader who brings a depth of knowledge and decades of valued experience to this interim role,” assistant city manager William Johnson said. “His extensive background will provide strong leadership for the department during this transition.”
Over his time as a department leader, Horton served on the committee that oversaw the integration of the city’s emergency medical services provider MedStar into the fire department. He also served on a staffing committee that saw the department add 70 new sworn firefighters, city officials said.
Horton earned a Ph.D. in urban and public administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.
A rapid intervention crew rescued two Fort Worth firefighters after wind-driven flames and intense heat overtook crews operating on the second floor of a burning home
Randy Lupe, a temporary emergency support crew member from the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, died while supporting operations on the 15,226-acre Frijoles Fire
Billings firefighters faced a fully involved home, no hydrants and limited access as crews responded to a shooting that killed multiple adults and children
August 25, 2026 12:12 PM
·
Highland Park Engine 1 arrives at a fire involving an abandoned commercial structure
August 25, 2026 02:30 PM
·
©2026 Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Visit star-telegram.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The latest innovation in the FirstNet network, the nationwide network core is designed specifically for public safety’s unique needs