More than a year after losing its first chief, Guadalupe County Fire Rescue appointed another and he's willing to put in the time and hard work of helping the agency grow.

Back in February 2025, GCFR Chief Heath Lipke resigned leaving Guadalupe County Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator/Assistant Fire Marshal Bryce Houlton to take over as chief.

While Houlton remains the agency's chief, earlier this year the county hired Aaron Ward to take over running the county's fire department, Emergency Management Coordinator/Fire Marshal Patrick Pinder said.