Atlanta’s fire chief Dennis Rubin, 54, resigned Monday amid reports he will become the new fire chief in Washington D.C.
The resignation, which will become effective in April, comes after Rubin spent three years at the helm of the Atlanta Fire Department. His appointment in Washington will have to be approved by the area city council.
Rubin was hired in December 2003 by the City of Atlanta to oversee the day-to-day operations of a fire department with 960 employees, a budget of $56.4 million and a coverage area of 132 square miles. Prior to coming to Atlanta, Rubin served as city manager in Dothan, Al., and in other metropolitan fire departments, including Washington’s and in Norfolk, Va.
Rubin’s educational background includes an associate’s degree in fire science from the Northern Virginia Community College and a bachelor’s degree in fire administration from the University of Maryland. In 1993, he graduated from the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He is a Certified Emergency Manager and has obtained the Chief Fire Officer Designation from the International Association of Fire Chiefs.