Letter of Resignation: Cindy Dick Fire Chief, City of Tallahassee
March 15, 2013
To the men and women of the Tallahassee Fire Department,
I want to take the opportunity to let you all know personally that I have recently notified the City Manager of my intent to separate from the DROP program and officially retire from the City of Tallahassee effective July 31, 2013.
This is a very important decision and one that I do not enter into lightly. The Fire Department and the City family have been a huge part of my life for 26 years now. I was blessed to enter into a profession that has been incredibly fulfilling and further blessed to be able to serve an organization as wonderful as the City of Tallahassee.
When I began my career, as a 21 year old Firefighter, I never dreamed I would have the honor of serving as Fire Chief and leading such a fantastic group of people. I have had the opportunity to work for, and with, some amazing colleagues and have learned so much from each of them. My reasons for leaving now are strictly personal. My son will be entering High School next year and I have a limited time with him before he is off to conquer the world.
Additionally, as family members age we become more aware that they won’t be with us forever and no one is promised tomorrow. That being said, I would like to dedicate the next few years to my family, although I will miss my TFD family a great deal. I have enjoyed every moment of my career, the good days and the bad, but am excited about the next phase of my life and the opportunities ahead.
I am equally excited about the future of the Tallahassee Fire Department. It is amazing to me what a great department we have, how far we have come in the last 100 years, yet we continue to consistently grow and improve. When I began my journey as Chief, we re-evaluated our department’s vision, mission, commitments and values. We defined our commitments as:
- Excellence in service delivery
- High standards in employee training and education
- A high level of health and safety for all personnel
- Exceeding customer’s expectations through flexibility and empathy
- Active participation in our community
- Fiscal responsibility
- Cooperative and effective partnerships with all emergency service providers
As I review them now, I am convinced that we have upheld these commitments and each of you has done your part get us there. As a result, our department, the city and our community are better for it.I am very excited about what will come next for TFD. I know that the best days are ahead of you yet and I am able to leave with a feeling of pride for having been part of a team that makes such a difference in the everyday lives of our citizens. I have given a lengthy notice so that I can assist with the transition to new leadership. Additionally, I have agreed to stay on, in some capacity, if more time is needed to conclude major projects and secure anew Chief.
I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunities that I have been afforded, throughout my career, and hope that I have been able to contribute to this organization and this community as much as I have received. I will miss the friendships that have been forged, the challenges that the job provided and the excitement that comes from being part of the TFD team. I am leaving with a clear memory of the way I felt when I got the news that I was hired and I have not regretted a moment since. I will miss you all. STAY SAFE!
Very Sincerely,
Cindy Dick
Fire Chief, City of Tallahassee
March 15, 2013
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