Phoenix (AZ) Fire Chief Bob Khan, a 31-year veteran of the fire department and its public face for the past two decades, has announced he will retire next month to help care for his father. according to a report on azcentral.com.
Khan became chief in August 2006, after the retirement of longtime Fire Chief Alan Brunacini, who served in that role for 28 years and had been Khan’s mentor. Then an assistant chief and spokesman, Khan had already served as the department’s figurehead in the news media for a decade.
He took the helm of the department at a time when it faced challenges including burgeoning growth, a wave of retirements, and an outdated communications system. The city struggled to keep its response times down, particularly in quickly growing northeast Phoenix.
Khan led efforts to improve response times, adding fire stations and firefighters in growing areas. He also reorganized the department and introduced new technology to better dispatch personnel and equipment.
Read more at http://bit.ly/1nrpXV0.
