Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty announced today that she has chosen former Portland Fire & Rescue Chief Mike Myers as the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management’s new director in charge of the bureau. Myers left Portland Fire & Rescue in January to take a position as the emergency manager for Cannon Beach in Oregon. He will start his new position in Portland on June 1. Portland Fire Battalion Chief Kristine Artman is the acting interim director of PBEM. She will continue in this position until Myers begins on June 1.
"I started meeting with Mike Myers even before I was elected as commissioner and I was impressed with his vision. We immediately had a connection and it was clear we had shared values,” says Commissioner Hardesty. “When I was aware that he really wanted to focus his career in emergency management, I reached out to him to see if we would consider coming back to Portland to work with me in this arena and I was overjoyed when he said yes.”
Myers has long had a passion for emergency management, starting with writing emergency medical plans in Las Vegas. Myers was the fire chief in Las Vegas where he was employed for more than 26 years.
“I never dreamed an invitation like this would present itself. I’m so energized to work under Commissioner Hardesty’s visionary leadership and return to give my very best to Portland residents in a new capacity. The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management is critical to public safety and I couldn’t be more enthusiastic to collaborate with such a talented group of individuals,” says Myers.
Commissioner Hardesty and Mike Myers will be available for media interviews today between 3-4 pm at Commissioner Hardesty’s office in City Hall. Please contact hardestymedia@portlandoregon.gov to set up an interview slot.