Portland, Ore. — Calling it a personal decision, Portland Fire Chief Mike Meyers resigned Thursday.

Meyers joined the Portland Fire Bureau in July of 2016 as chief.

In a written statement to the bureau, Meyers said, “I thank the employees of Portland Fire & Rescue for their hard work and support during my time here. This is a personal decision on my part. I love the coast and my wife has already moved there and it is my strong desire to join her. I have every faith that the leadership of Portland Fire & Rescue will continue to serve the city of Portland at the highest level. My only regret is that I was very excited to work with Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and her team. I did speak with her today and explained that this is about my desire to be with my wife and keeping that priority above all.”

New Portland City Commissioner and Fire Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said,  “Today Portland Fire Chief Mike Myers visited me with the sad news he will be leaving Portland. I am personally so sad to lose his leadership and friendship. His vision for a vibrant city was exactly what we need, and I am disappointed to not work on his plan together. Chief Myers will be joining his wife in Gearhart where they have relocated. I look forward to working with my colleagues to recruit and retain leaders moving forward and make the City of Portland an employer of choice.”

According to the fire bureau, Meyers accomplished many things during his time as chief:

Myers leaves a long list of accomplishments in his two and half years as chief of the fire bureau. From technology advancements in communication, GPS for responding vehicles, operational software enhancements for training and emergency ops, to equity and inclusion advancements such as the hiring of PF&R’s first Equity Manager and a complete revision to the employee discipline process.  Chief Myers made firefighter safety a top priority, working to ensure his firefighters utilized industry leading safety practices, securing funding for additional and much needed equipment that is key to firefighter safety, and instituted an annual physical that is more suited to the unique risks firefighters face.

What is probably most notable of Chief Mike Myers is his overall approach to managing the fire department of a large city. Chief Myers pushed Portland Fire & Rescue  into a new, forward thinking method of prevention and response. The “blueprint for success” project has led individual fire stations to start looking at the specific threats to safety and reasons for 911 calls within their specific response area and consider how they can work to connect those affected with resources that can provide long term solutions and/or prevention.  Simply stated, Chief Myers has left a legacy with Portland Fire & Rescue.

Meyers says he is moving to the Oregon coast to be with his wife who has already moved there.

He will become the Emergency Manager for the City of Cannon Beach.