Bloomington Fire Chief Eric West is set to retire Dec. 7, according to a city news release, marking the end of a decades-long career that culminated with the city's top fire job.
"I have been very blessed for the past 32 years to be able to work for the Bloomington Fire Department and I have enjoyed every minute of it," West said in a statement.
West joined the Bloomington Fire Department in 1991 and became BFD's interim fire chief in November 2020 following the retirement of then-chief Brian Mohr.
Prior to assuming the role of fire chief, West was named deputy chief of operations in 2015 and has served as a HAZMAT field instructor with the Illinois Fire Institute since 2004. He was also vice president of the Bloomington Fire Firefighters Union, Local 49, for seven years.
City Manager Tim Gleason will decide the next steps in filling the BFD fire chief position, according to the city's news release.
