Bob Barnes

Bob Barnes, former fire chief for the Bristol Fire Department, died April 7, 2024, at the age of 71. Barnes began his career with the Bristol Fire Department in 1974. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1981, captain in 1995, and battalion chief in 2001. He was named chief of the department in 2007 and was active in local, state, and federal organizations. He oversaw the department’s first designation as an internationally accredited agency, making Bristol only one of five departments in the state to have this achievement. He retired after 43 years of service in 2017.