Fire Chief announces retirement
By Stephanie Lulay slulay@stmedianetwork.com November 27, 2012 10:26PM
Updated: December 29, 2012 6:34AM
AURORA — Aurora Fire Chief Hal Carlson announced late Tuesday he will retire this week after 30 years with the department.
Mayor Tom Weisner said Carlson has done a great job for the city.
“We know we have one of the finest fire departments in the whole country, and some of that credit is certainly due to (Carlson) and his efforts over the years,” Weisner said.
Carlson, 60, plans to stay in Aurora .
While his career began and ended with big fires — the Christmas Eve Stove Works fire in 1983, and the Claim Street fire in 2011 — he said his biggest task was “keeping status quo” during his last few years as chief.
“Just maintaining during the last years, it’s been tough,” Carlson said of leading the department through a recession. “But I didn’t have to lay anyone off.”
Carlson spent all 30 years of his fire career with the Aurora department, the last four as chief.
