Chief Bobby Halton ret. is currently editor in chief of Fire Engineering magazine and education director of the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC).

Chief Halton is a native New Yorker whose family has deep roots in the Fire Department of New York and the New York City Police Department. He began his career in structural firefighting with the Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department in 1984, attained national registry as a paramedic, was chief of training, and rose to the rank of chief of operations until his retirement from that department in 2004. He then became chief of the Coppell (TX) Fire Department, Bobby left to assume the duties as editor in chief of Fire Engineering Magazine.

Chief Halton is a graduate of the University of New Mexico, left a member in good standing with the International Association of Fire Fighters, is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and has served on several of the National Fire Protection Association technical committees. He is active with the National Fallen Firefighters Life Safety Initiatives. He has done extensive speaking and training for the fire service in the United States, Canada and internationally.