Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers will retire next year, according to NBC10’s Harry Hairston.
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Ayers made the announcement on Wednesday while attending the Awards of Valor in Old City, a ceremony honoring local firefighters and police officers. According to Hairston, Ayers plans to retire in nine months.
Ayers joined the Philadelphia Fire Department in 1974 and served as a firefighter for 31 years. On December 1, 2004, Ayers was sworn in as Philadelphia’s Fire Commissioner, putting him in charge of the fifth largest fire department in the country.
During his career with the fire department, Ayers served in every single rank, including Deputy Commissioner of Operations and the Fire Marshal’s Office.
In addition to his career in firefighting, Ayers also served in the United States Coast Guard for four years. He also served as president of Club Valiants, Inc., and as the director of the Northeast Regional International Association of Black Professional Firefighters.
Ayers, who lives with his wife in the Andorra section of the city and has six children, has not yet revealed what he plans to do after his retirement from firefighting.
