McKinney announced an interim fire chief who would take over the reins until a permanent chief was appointed. Assistant Fire Chief Paul Doe will begin work on Feb. 1.

Doe, who has over 27 years of fire service experience, became an assistant fire marshal in 2022 after serving as a consultant in the city to develop a firefighter training program, according to a press release.

“The fire department is full of dedicated, hardworking people who are committed to keeping our citizens safe. We are confident that our fire department will thrive under Chief Doe’s leadership as we conduct a nationwide search for a fire chief,” City Manager Paul Grimes said.

Doe served as Fire Chief for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico from 2018 to 2021. He also served as an instructor at Collin College in McKinney and Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in fire safety from Columbia Southern University and is appointed Fire Chief of the Public Safety Center of Excellence.

“I am honored to serve alongside the men and women of this distinguished fire department. We have a very bright future ahead of us,” Dow said.

Danny Kistner, the city’s current fire chief who has been with the city since 2011, announced his resignation in December.