Richmond hires new fire chief

NEW CHIEF: Mike Youngblood has been named the new fire chief in Richmond.

After five years as assistant fire chief in Missouri City, Mike Youngblood will begin leading the Richmond Fire Department March 1.

Youngblood was hired to fill the vacancy left by Steve Noto, who had served as fire chief for 26 of his 31 years with the department. He retired in November.

Youngblood was chosen from among 20 applicants, of whom six were interviewed, Richmond City Manager Terri Vela said.

A 20-year veteran with the Missouri City Fire Department, Youngblood had been a division chief over training for four years before becoming assistant chief. The Atlanta native also had served as a volunteer with the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department after he moved to Houston in 1978.

Youngblood said he has worked with the Richmond Fire Department on calls during mutual-aid operations in the past and knows several of its firefighters.

"We've worked at scenes before and I'm fairly familiar with the Richmond area," he said. "The department has quality personnel."

A graduate of Lone Star College with an associate's degree, Youngblood is pursing a bachelor's degree through Columbia Southern University.

zen.zheng@chron.com