No-confidence vote preceded Waco FD chief retirement letter

Summers has been chief in Waco for three years and said he plans to retire at the end of the year.

City officials are reviewing the information regarding the no-confidence vote by the Waco Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 478 before deciding if any action by the city manager would be appropriate, spokesperson Monica Sedelmeier said in a statement.

Waco Fire Capt. Phillip Burnett, president of the local union, declined comment when asked why the vote was issued. Burnett said he and the rest of the association members wish Summers the best in his retirement.

Summers issued a letter Tuesday announcing his retirement after three-and-a-half years as chief of the Waco Fire Department and 41 years in the fire service. Before coming to Waco, he spent nine years as chief of the Little Rock Fire Department in Arkansas, which he joined in 1983 and climbed up the ranks to become chief.

Summers on Wednesday said the vote did not play a role in his decision to retire. He said his decision was based on his tenure and accomplishments during his time as chief.

“I stand on my record,” Summers said. “It speaks for itself.”

In his retirement letter, Summers said he is proud of his accomplishments in Waco, which include increasing the diversity of the department, adding safety measures for firefighters and leading the department in securing funding for new vehicles and fire stations.

During his tenure, the department grew from having zero women to five. Before Summers’ arrival, the department had just one female firefighter in its history. Summers also said in the letter the department expanded and added 19 new firefighter positions under his leadership.