Burbank fire chief retires after 32 years with department

After 32 years with the Burbank Fire Department, Ray Krakowski retired on Friday.

Krakowski rose through the department’s ranks after starting in 1980 as a firefighter and paramedic, and later being promoted to engineer, captain and battalion chief.

He was named interim fire chief in 2009, and was appointed to the position permanently the following year.

He recently sat as acting city manager until the arrival of Interim City Manager Ken Pulskamp on Dec. 3.

Krakowski said his time in Burbank went by quickly.

“It goes by easy when you work with good people,” he said in a statement.

Fire Marshal Tom Lenahan, a 25-year veteran of the department, will take over as interim chief while Pulskamp searches for a permanent internal replacement.

Pulskamp expects to hire a permanent fire chief by the end of January, said city spokesman Drew Sugars.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, Times Community News

Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.