Mayor Mike Duggan begins search to replace Detroit Fire Commissioner Eric Jones
Eric Jones
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit Fire Commissioner Eric Jones is leaving the role after more than six years.
Mayor Mike Duggan's office is beginning a nationwide search to replace Jones, whose last day is Jan. 14. An interim commissioner will be named next week.
When announcing Jones' departure, Duggan's office said the department is ready for a new leadership direction.
Before serving as the commissioner, Jones was with the Detroit Police Department. He retired as assistant chief in 2013. He was hired as the director of the Department of Building Safety, Engineering & Environmental by Duggan in 2014, and named executive fire commissioner in October 2015 when Edsel Jenkins retired.
The city credits Jones with overhauling an aged fleet of fire vehicles, improving the city's fire preparedness rating, and reducing EMS response time from nearly 20 minutes for priority runs to the national average of eight minutes.
"Eric has given more than three decades serving and protecting the citizens of Detroit and I thank him for his service," Duggan said. "I wish him well."
Duggan hopes to have a permanent replacement selected by mid-year.