Jan. 22--Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Chief Mike Myers announced his retirement Tuesday afternoon after 27 years with the department.
Myers joined the department in 1986 and worked as a firefighter, paramedic, a fire training officer, assistant fire chief and deputy fire chief before taking the top job in January 2011.
In a statement, Myers said his family would be moving to Chicago, where his wife received a "wonderful career opportunity."
"With over 25 years of service to LVFR, the timing is right for my family and me to make this change," Myers said in the statement. "I am very proud that the LVFR team has continued to excel during my time here with performance improvements, infrastructure improvements, improved policy and budgetary savings."
During his tenure as chief, the fire department opened two new fire stations, implemented a program to increase the survival rate of heart attack patients and updated sick leave and overtime policies.
"(Myers) has left the fire department a better organization, especially in his work to make the LVFR more efficient and to improve the survivability of cardiac arrest patients," City Manager Betsy Fretwell said in a statement.
Myers' last day will be on Feb. 7. Plans for the search for his replacement are still being worked out and no interim chief has been named, city spokesman Jace Radke said.
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