Fire Chief Ralph Cobb to retire
Ralph Cobb will retire as Chief of Madison Fire & Rescue Department on Oct. 1. RECORD PHOTOS/JEN FOUTS-DETULLEO
MADISON – Ralph Cobb, Chief of Madison Fire & Rescue Department, will retire on Oct. 1.
Cobb issued the following press release on June 13:
“Madison Fire & Rescue Chief Ralph Cobb will retire his position with the City of Madison effective Oct. 1, 2016. Cobb has served as head of the fire department since his appointment by the City Council in 2000.
An accomplished leader in emergency response management, Cobb is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, a Credentialed Chief Fire Officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence and a nationally registered paramedic. He is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve.
While serving as Madison Fire & Rescue Chief, Cobb served as a governor-appointed Commissioner on the State of Alabama Fire College Personnel Standards and Education Commission for the Alabama Fire College, President of the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs, member of the Calhoun Community College EMS Advisory Board and member of the Madison County EMA Board.
During his tenure, the department has provided the citizens of Madison with only the highest level of fire protection and emergency response. The team has worked continually to upgrade and improve services as well as achieving many milestones.
Some of the department’s accomplishments under Chief Cobb include:
* Improving the City of Madison’s ISO Classification from Class 6 to Class 1 – the highest possible rating awarded to fewer than 200 of the nation’s 32,000 fire departments.
* Building a state-of-the-art paramedic system offering Madison’s citizens the greatest chance of survival in a medical emergency.
* Growing the department from 33 to 67 dedicated firefighting professionals.
* Building two new fire stations.
* Establishing Alabama Heavy Rescue One as a vital component in Alabama’s disaster response system.
* Saving the City of Madison millions of dollars by maximizing federal grant funding for vehicles, equipment, personnel and Madison Fire Station 2, which is one of only 110 fire stations nationwide built with Assistance to Firefighter Grant fund dollars.
Following retirement, Cobb plans to teach on topics related to homeland security, travel and find new ways to serve the community of Madison.”
