LA Fire Department Chief Millage Peaks announces retirement

Millage Peaks, 59, shown here with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, announced his retirement to his executive staff and thanked the mayor for selecting him to lead the department. He also thanked firefighters, civilian staff and volunteers in the department, the Fire Commission and his family.

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Millage Peaks, a 35-year veteran of the department, announced his retirement Monday effective July 10.

Peaks, 59, made the announcement to his executive staff and thanked Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for selecting him to lead the department. He also thanked firefighters, civilian staff and volunteers in the department, the Fire Commission and his family.

"Chief Peaks leaves a more flexible department, with a greater capacity, that is prepared to meet the opportunities and realities of the 21st century," department spokesman Capt. Jaime Moore said.

Moore said Peaks told staff he is retiring because it is "a good time for him." Moore added that Peaks is leaving the department with a balanced budget and believed firefighters are close to solidifying a multi-year contract with the city.

Peaks told staff that most of programs he has overseen have been completed or are coming to fruition, he's in a good place and it's a good time to begin his retirement, according to Moore.

Peaks, the department's second black chief, took the helm in September 2009. He has since led the fire department through a restructuring that culminated in a permanent redeployment plan finalized in May -- the city's first new deployment plan in more than 40 years.

"In 2009, I was confident Chief Peaks was the right leader to manage the LAFD in the midst of the most difficult financial time the department had ever faced," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. "At that moment of great challenge, he managed carefully and led with decisive action to creatively solve the department's complex fiscal situation."

Peaks also oversaw the planning and implementation of an automated billing system for ambulance calls that is estimated to save the city millions of dollars in traditionally late and lost revenue.

During his tenure, fire fatalities declined by 47 percent, according to the department.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18363783?source=rss

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