Portland Fire Chief Mike Myers Is Leaving, Three Days After the Commissioner Who Recruited Him Left Office

The well-regarded fire chief to depart.

Portland firefighters at the NW Metals auto scrapyard on March 13. (Motoya Nakamura / Multnomah County)

Portland Fire Chief Mike Myers gave his resignation notice today.

Myers, who was hired in June 2016 by then-City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, is a well-regarded bureau director, known as an innovator. Myers was recruited to the city after a 26-year-long career in Las Vegas.

His announcement comes three days after Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty replaced Saltzman.

Hardesty says Myers offered the reason that he's leaving as a move to Gearhart, Ore.

"Today Portland Fire  Chief Mike Myers visited me with the sad news he will be leaving Portland," says Hardesty in a statement. "I am personally so sad to lose his leadership and friendship. His vision for a vibrant city was exactly what we need, and I am disappointed to not work on his plan together. Chief Myers will be joining his wife in Gearhart where they have relocated."

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