Fire Chief Don Horton

Fire Chief Don Horton provided 29 years of service and management to the fire corps, before devoting his experience to Portsmouth Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, in March 2009.

He first started his fire career in March of 1980, with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services in Richmond, Virginia. In conjunction with his promotions to various leadership positions, he undertook a variety of responsibilities to include: duties in fire suppression, station management, and public information. Chief Horton served as the Support Services Division Commander, Deputy and Acting Fire Marshal, and finally retired after four years as the Deputy Chief for Richmond.

Because of his passion for the community, Chief Horton developed the first mentorship program in the Richmond public school system, and was involved in Richmond's Fire Explorer Post as a youth mentor. He also coordinated Project Safe Place, which designated Richmond's fire stations as a haven for troubled youth seeking refuge.

During his tenure in Richmond, Chief Horton completed an Associates Degree in Fire Science (2004), and a Bachelors Degree in Business Management (2007).

Following his retirement from Richmond in 2007, Chief Horton accepted the position of Pine Bluff Fire Chief in Arkansas, and served there for two years.

Chief Horton earned many awards during his years of service which included: Junior Officer of the Year (1992 and 1998), Support Services Officer of the Year (1998), and the Life Safety Achievement Award (2000)

When asked what accomplishment he is most proud of, Chief Horton responded, "Leading a team of dedicated fire professionals, while serving as Fire Marshal." A solid concentration on public education, engineering, and code enforcement, resulted in zero fire fatalities for the 200,000 citizens of Richmond in 2005. This was the first time the city had seen a zero fire fatality rate in more than twenty years.

Married to Shirley Horton, Chief Horton has a daughter, Sherri; a son, Dion; and a grandson, Blair.