Fire Chief / Emergency Management Director
City of Balch Springs
Balch Springs, Texas, United States
Eric J. Neal began his firefighter career with Shelby County, Tennessee Fire Department when he was age 24. Shortly after being hired, he began to work his way through the ranks to become a Lieutenant after 5 years of service. Later, Eric Neal worked his way to Battalion Chief, with a total of 18 years of dedication and service to the citizens and stakeholders of Shelby County (Memphis, Tennessee.)
Eric then joined the City of Arlington Fire Department in the year 2014, where he was not only a marquee firefighter, but also an important member of a select group of instructors chosen to conduct training for all Arlington fire department members, as well as help facilitate the Arlington Independent School District Fire Academy program. Chief Neal is also an Adjunct Fire Instructor for Tarrant County College, teaching continuing education classes and fire related courses to all local fire departments around Dallas/Fort Worth.
He brings technical skills to the position including Incident Command, EMT Advanced, Technical Rescue, Fire Suppression, HazMat, Health & Safety, Strategic Planning, Fire Training Academy, and Officer Training. His education includes a bachelor’s degree in emergency management from Arizona State and a Master of Public Administration from Sam Houston State University.
Since Eric Neal was appointed Fire Chief for the City of Balch Springs, as the first African American in the city’s history, he has been quite busy. In his first year Chief Neal he has been able to secure two brand new apparatuses for fire suppression, create a succession plan for knowledge building, add the ranks of Lieutenant and Apparatus Operator, implement a mental health program for Balch Springs first responders, and create a CERT program for the volunteer citizens.
While working to build a better department, Chief Neal has made Cancer initiatives a top priority. He has begun the purchase of a second set of Bunker Gear for all personnel. He has worked with the City Manager and Building Maintenance officials to begin a total renovation of the public safety building to include exhaust systems to eliminate cancerous fumes from the fire apparatus bay. The renovation will also prepare for the hiring of female firefighters and make the public safety complex ADA compliance.
The Historic Fires and Floods, in Balch Springs during July and August of 2022, exposed the city to their strengths and weaknesses. As the Incident Commander of both operations, the challenges of those major incidents, with limited resources, brought out the best of everyone involved. Chief Neal helped to facilitate the needs of residents after the disasters, gaining him recognition by winning the 2022 Mesquite Chapter NAACP Hero Award.
Chief Neal has always been well respected by leaders in the firefighting industry. He is known for his balanced mediation of issues and his comprehensive style of preparation and training for incoming fire cadets. Chief Neal’s top priority will be the health and safety of his firefighters. And vows to continue positive interaction, both internally and externally with the Citizens and Staff.
ELEC-308: Challenges of a 1st Year Chief
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM