Meet the Chief

Fire Chief Robert B. Abbott

Fire Chief Robert B. Abbott began his fire service career in Travis County in 1996 where he served in the ranks as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Engineer, Lieutenant, Battalion Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief. As an Assistant Fire Chief, Chief Abbott led the Operations, Training, and Support Services Divisions where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of emergency service delivery.

Today, Chief Abbott is privileged to be able to lead a staff of talented professionals who are focused on providing the highest level of fire, prevention and pre-hospital care possible by nurturing an open labor/management relationship and developing community-centric programs. Chief Abbott holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Concordia University, a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, and is a graduate of both the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Senior Executive in State and Local Government program and Executive Public Policy program. He has earned both the Texas Fire Chief’s Academy Certified Fire Executive (CFE) and the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designations. Chief Abbott is a distinguished graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer (EFO) program. He has served as an expert witness on matters relating to employee terminations and labor disputes and is a labor and divorce mediator in addition to having served as the founding union president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 4117.

Chief Abbott is active in supporting state and federal legislative initiatives focused on improving the public safety industry. He is a past president of the Capital Area Fire Chiefs Association and is the Legislative Chair of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association.