Salt Lake City fire chief plans to retire this fall

Salt Lake City fire chief plans to retire this fall

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SALT LAKE CITY — To some city leaders' surprise, Salt Lake Fire Chief Brian Dale has announced he will be retiring this fall.

Dale's last day will be Oct. 1, according to a letter sent to Mayor Jackie Biskupski this week and obtained Friday by the Deseret News.

"Over the past 30 years, I have faithfully served the citizens and firefighters of Salt Lake City," the letter to the mayor states. "I am proud of our many accomplishments and look forward to the department's continued success."

Dale's retirement announcement came as a surprise to the mayor, said Biskupski's spokesman, Matthew Rojas. But it's "understandable," he said, because Dale will be eligible for full retirement benefits in October.

"Most people would choose to take their full retirement benefits when they have the opportunity to do so," Rojas said. "(The mayor) has accepted his retirement and will begin in the next couple of months looking for a replacement. We appreciate very much that he provided up until Oct. 1 to find a replacement. That act really highlights his dedication to Salt Lake City."

Rojas said the fire department should have a new chief by the time Dale retires.

Dale will become the eighth department head to leave the city since Biskupski took office in January. Seven others have either resigned or were replaced as part as Biskupski's administrative transition.

Rojas said turnover when a new mayor takes office is a "normal course of business," as is when city employees choose to retire.

"We're very grateful for his 30 years of service and wish him a happy retirement on Oct. 1," Rojas said.

"This completely caught me off guard," City Councilwoman Lisa Adams said after she learned of Dale's retirement letter. "I did not see it coming."

Adams said earlier this week the City Council went over Dale's budget with him and there was no indication that he planned to retire this year.

Still, Adams praised him for his years of service, his ability to manage the department, and specifically his recent efforts to recruit more women firefighters.

Dale was hired by the Salt Lake City Fire Department in October 1986 and served in a variety of positions before he was appointed as chief by Mayor Ralph Becker in 2015.

Salt Lake fire spokesman Jasen Asay said Dale declined to comment to the Deseret News on Friday because "retirement is a personal decision."

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