BATON ROUGE - Former chief of the Baton Rouge Fire Department, Robin Hurst, passed away Tuesday.

According to the fire department, Hurst died at his St. Francisville home Tuesday morning. 

Hurst began serving at BRFD in 1974, becoming the fire chief in 1996. He retired in 2002 but took on a second career at Ferrara Fire Apparatus as Quality Control Manager. He provided his years of expert experience to help produce and sell equipment necessary to keep firefighters safe while performing their duties.

He coined the phrase “We fight what others FEAR” and placed that slogan on all firetrucks purchased during his tenure.

Chief Hurst leaves behind his wife Kay, daughter Shannon, son Jeremy and their children. Both Shannon and Jeremy followed their father’s footsteps into the fire service, according to the fire department.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.