DALLAS — Sources within the Dallas Fire-Rescue department say that Deputy Fire Chief Bobby Ross will retire, according to The Dallas Morning News.
An official who asked to remain anonymous said that Ross submitted his retirement papers and turned in his gear, but that it has not yet been made official. Ross did not respond to an inquiry from The News and a department spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the retirement, nor would he ask the deputy chief about the retirement.
Deputy Chief Ross joined Dallas Fire-Rescue in 1984 and has recently been the subject of controversy surrounding fireground incident command and a line of duty death two years ago. Ross was the incident commander at a condominium fire on May 20, 2013 when a collapse took the life of Firefighter Stanley Wilson.
Reports from federal, state and department investigators cited many errors in command, communication, tactics and safety in the fatal fire. Among the difficulties was a conflicting view of whether or not Ross had ordered Wilson and others to go back into the burning structure to search for occupants.
Ross has denied giving that order and has faced accusations of lying by members of the department, despite testimony to the contrary from witnesses.
Reports:
Firefighter Stanley Wilson, Investigation FFF FY 13-07, Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office
Career Fire Fighter Killed by Structure Collapse While Conducting Interior Search for Occupants Following 4th Alarm — Texas, NIOSH
Goldfeder: You Really Want to Be in Command? Seriously?
Fire Chief Louis Bright III decided not to punish Ross and instead reassigned him to a position in the department’s communications section. This move led to a threatened vote of no-confidence in the command staff from the firefighters. An internal affairs investigation was requested based on the statements from Ross in the line of duty death investigation.
George Tomasovic complaint against Bobby Ross
