Chicago Commissioner Hoff announces he's leaving the CFD.
CBS Chicago is reporting the CFD Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff is steping down:
CHICAGO (CBS) – Mayor Rahm Emanuel is losing his first major cabinet member. CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine has learned that Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff is stepping down.
Hoff was one of the few leftovers from the Daley administration. Sources said he submitted his resignation on Wednesday.
He will be replaced by former Office of Emergency Management and Communications boss Jose Santiago, who left the city when Emanuel took over as mayor, in part because of problems during the Groundhog Day blizzard last year.
The entire article can be found HERE.
The Sun-Times has an article HERE.
Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff — who said he was “deathly against” closing firehouses or reducing the minimum staffing requirement on fire apparatus — abruptly resigned Wednesday, leaving firefighters without a champion headed into contentious contract talks with Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Hoff, 56, is a third generation Chicago firefighter whose father was killed in the line of duty. He chose to retire — and go out on his own terms — on the 50th anniversary of his father’s death. Sources said the decision was his. The mayor did not force him out.
“Thirty-five years is long enough. He wants to go teach firemen and keep them safe. That’s what he wants to do,” said a source close to the commissioner.
The Chicago Tribune has an article HERE.
Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 President Thomas Ryan announced Hoff’s planned departure at a union meeting. Ryan told fire union members that Hoff had told him “it was time to go.”
#1 by Sebastian on February 16, 2012 - 7:56 PM
Chicago has no idea what they lost today!!!
#2 by danny on February 16, 2012 - 12:12 PM
he was one of the best the fire service has ever seen. i member one time on a ABC 7 Sunday morning interview he said the CFD was the best job on the planet even better then the FDNY
#3 by Bill Post on February 16, 2012 - 1:49 AM
Chief Hoff is one Chicago’s best. No one who knows anything about the CFD wants to see him go. I, however respect his decision and wish him well. Everything that he said about being “deathly against” reducing minimum manning on the fire companies , not closing any companies or any fire stations is totally correct and he was right in saying it in response to the Inspector General’s unnecessary and ill informed ideas.
Commissioner Hoff stood up for his men ,his principles and did not sell out.