On Friday morning, September 28, 2007, Chief Luther L. Fincher, Jr gathered his command staff for a scheduled meeting. However, this meeting had a short agenda - to announce his retirement from the Charlotte Fire Department. Here are some of the comments he shared with staff:
After almost 42 years with the Charlotte Fire Department and the City of Charlotte I have decided that I will retire as of December 29, 2007. I have had the job of a lifetime. The time has come for me to step aside for new leadership. The city has provided me the opportunity to expand the Charlotte Fire Department into one of the finest in the nation. I am very proud of our accomplishments over the past 20 years. Also, I am most proud of our Firefighters, Officers and Administration who are committed to this profession, highly trained, have their degrees in fire science technology and management, and use all their knowledge, skills and abilities to be the solution toward unfortunate situations that our citizens; the taxpayer; find themselves in. We are so customer service oriented that it has become second nature. Our Fire Prevention Plans Review staff begins with the developer, then the construction company and finally through to the finished product, always making sure the 'safety of the public' is built into that final project.
I want to thank City Managers Wendell White, Pam Syfert and Curt Walton who have allowed me to stay involved in our fire service associations regionally, nationally and internationally. I still sit on the International Association of Fire Chiefs Board of Directors where I have served for 13 years and was President in 1999-2000; I also sit on the National Fire Protection Association Board of Directors and was elected Vice President of the European International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF) for a four year term.
So after almost 46 years of serving the public, 42 with Charlotte Fire Department and 4 years in the United States Marine Corps the time has come for me to look for a new adventure. It has been a joy and pleasure to work for the City of Charlotte and to have been a leader in the history of the Charlotte Fire Department.
