Mayor Miro Weinberger today responded to the retirement announcement of Burlington Fire Chief Seth Lasker, in which he informed the Mayor of his plans to retire onOctober 31, 2015. Lasker has served the City of Burlington for 26 years, working his way through all of the ranks of the Department excluding Fire Marshal; Lasker served as Battalion Chief (one year) and Deputy Chief (five years) before serving five years as Chief of the Burlington Fire Department.
“Seth Lasker is an excellent Fire Chief, and it has been an honor to serve with him,” said Mayor Weinberger. “Chief Lasker has overseen successes during his time as Chief of the Burlington Fire Department, including adding an ambulance and other service expansions, and investments in all five of the City’s stations that improved safety and energy efficiency. Chief Lasker has led the City through severe weather events and difficult fires, and he has led the Department through loss and considerable turnover. Chief Lasker is a trusted leader who will be missed, and I wish him much success and happiness in his future endeavors.”
Lasker, a Burlington native, began at the Department in 1989 and worked his way through the differing ranks: probationary firefighter, firefighter, senior firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief, and Chief Engineer. He has served five years as Fire Chief. Lasker met yesterdaywith command staff and shared his plans to retire with the full Department. Mayor Weinberger has communicated to the Department his commitment to smooth leadership transition.
*Please see the retirement letter from BFD Chief Seth Lasker to Mayor Miro Weinberger below:
Dear Mayor Weinberger:
I am writing to inform you of my intent to retire from the Burlington FireDepartment on October 31st ofthis year. After careful consideration I have decidedthat this is the right time for both my family and me to make this change in our lives.Words alone cannot express how much of an honor it has been for me to serve thisCity,· and the community that I grew up in, for these past 26 years. It is withappreciation to you, the citizens of Burlington, and the men and women of theBurlington Fire Department that I have had this opportunity to do a job that I lovedevery day.
As I look back on my tenure, it seems appropriate to note that we haveaccomplished a great deal. We saw the largest turnover of employees in theDepartment's history, but rose to the challenge and were able to recruit and trainnew members quickly and effectively. Building efficiencies, repairs, andimprovements to all five ofthe City's fire stations were done on a scale that hadnever been seen before. This has afforded cost savings, made the stations safer, andmore energy efficient. The Department garnered hundreds of thousands of dollarsin grant funding that has gone to improving the safety of our firefighters and theDepartment's capabilities. The Department's capabilities have been expandedthrough the purchase of a fourth ambulance, a specialized all-terrain vehicle, andmost importantly the upcoming advancement into Paramedicine. We have also seenthe City through some difficult times together - the record lake level flooding in2011, and several other severe weather events and fires. While I am very proud ofthese accomplishments, it's important to point out that none of them could havebeen achieved without the commitment, dedication, and hard work displayed by themen and women of the Burlington Fire Department.Programs and services of the Burlington Fire Department are accessible to people with disabilities.For accessibility information, call 864-4554 or TTY 658-2700.
No Fire Department can succeed by itself. It cannot be overstated that the support ofthe Department's personnel, you, the Fire Commission, the City Council, and theBurlington citizenry has been unwavering in their commitment to see that thisDepartment has what it needs to succeed and grow, even through difficult economictimes. This support and faith in our Department has been the foundation for theDepartment's continued successes.
As my career with the Burlington Fire Department comes to an end, I leave with theconfidence that the Department will continue to be led by dedicated, motivated, andprofessional leaders. I believe there is always a benefit when fresh ideas andperspectives are brought to the table in any organization and feel the next individualwho steps into the Chief Engineer's role will be able to build upon our achievements.It has been a distinct privilege to serve as the Chief of the Burlington FireDepartment. I have been fortunate to have been a member of one of the noblest ofprofessions and have nothing but respect and pride in the brothers and sisters Ihave served with and now will leave behind.
In closing, it has been both my honor and pleasure to have served the City ofBurlington for the past 26 years, and I look forward to working with you, your team,the Department, and the community during this transition.
Sincerely,
Seth S. Lasker
Chief Engineer
CC: Burlington Fire Commission