Robert "Bob" Craig Barr

Robert Craig (Bob) Barr of Scottsdale passed away peacefully in his sleep January 3, 2016 at the age of 77. He was born in Lick Creek, Iowa on January 31, 1938, the son of Clarence Thompson Barr and Helen Craig Barr. He grew up Meridian, California and often said he had the best childhood. He served in the US Army as an electronics instructor at Fort Bliss, Texas and then took degrees, first at Yuba College and then in the Fire Science program at Oklahoma State University. He was head of the Fire and Safety Engineering Technology program at Rowan Technical Institute in Salisbury, North Carolina from 1967 to 1971 before assuming the position of Fire Marshall in Prince William County, Virginia. In 1974, he went to work for the National Fire Protection Association in Boston where he was director of the Public Protection Division and a pioneer in fire service training. He was instrumental in developing the National Professional Qualifications System and served as its first executive secretary and also as executive secretary of the Fire Marshall's Association of North America. After leaving NFPA in 1988, Bob established his own consulting firm, working as an expert witness, developing training programs for the US Air Force, and employing GIS (Geographic Information System) technology to do fire station location studies. At the age of 65 in 2003, when most people contemplate retirement, he took a job with the Phoenix Fire Department where he remained active until his passing. He had a lifelong dedication to the fire service. He loved his work and the people he worked with, and was also a proud member of the Baggers. He is survived by his wife Janet Barr of Hingham, MA; daughters Jennifer Barr and husband Tim Wadlington of Redmond, WA, and Tracy Smith and husband Bill of Boyce, VA, and six grandchildren.