The City of Pearland Fire Chief Vance Riley RetiresChief Riley announced his retirement in September 2021 after 11 years of dedicated service at the City of Pearland and a total of 42 years in public service. His final day in office will be on Friday, April 29. Read the full City of Pearland release below:Fire Chief Vance Riley Retires After 11-year Career with PFDOn Wednesday, May 4, Fire Chief Vance Riley will celebrate his retirement from Pearland Fire Department at Fire Station 4 from 3-5 pm. The event will feature an honor guard flag presentation, uniform inspection, comments from City staff and Chief Riley’s family and friends. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Chief Riley announced his retirement in September 2021 after 11 years of dedicated service at the City of Pearland and a total of 42 years in public service. His final day in office will be on Friday, April 29. Chief Riley joined the Pearland Fire Department as Fire Chief in April 2011. “I saw that it was a planned but rapidly growing city with the need to expand Fire and EMS services to meet that growth,” Riley said when asked why he was attracted to Pearland. Inspired by his late uncle who was a volunteer firefighter in Canyon, TX, Chief Riley entered the EMS and Fire Service in 1980, joining the Friendswood Volunteer Fire Department. From there, he served in various fire service positions for several organizations, including Fire Marshal, Fire Chief, Naval Reserve Hospital Corpsman for the U.S. Marine Corps, and board positions for the Texas Emergency Management Advisory Council, Texas Fire Chiefs Association Board of Directors, and Chair of the Texas Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council. Chief Riley has spent the last 30 years serving as a Fire Chief. During his 11-year tenure with the Pearland Fire Department, Chief Riley oversaw the growth and transformation of the Pearland Fire Department, with achievements including the transition from a mostly volunteer fire staff to a full paid staff department with more than 175 members; consolidation of the Fire and EMS departments; the conversion and construction of six fire stations, the Fire Administration Building, and Live Burn Training Building; obtaining ISO Class 2 and later Class 1 status; strengthening Community Risk Reduction by bringing in Code Enforcement, and continuously improving the department through training, policies, procedures, and improved safety. Among those, Chief Riley said he considers his greatest accomplishment the evolution of the department through its personnel. “Bringing in all these great, professional, dedicated members—all with servant’s hearts— into the Pearland Fire Department is my greatest achievement,” Riley said. “Seeing the awesome, caring work they do for our residents is inspiring, and I’m proud to have watched our members grow professionally—and in many cases—promote to higher ranks. I will miss working alongside each and every member of the Pearland Fire Department, as well as City staff,” Riley said. Chief Riley said he plans to spend more time with his wife Ann, his children and grandchildren, as well as going hunting, fishing, and golfing. He also plans to continue to serve on various boards of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, as well as exploring additional opportunities to work. Chief Riley’s announcement to retire triggered a nationwide search for a new Fire Chief, which culminated in appointment of Jack “J” Taylor, III as incoming Fire Chief. Chief Taylor’s first day in office as Pearland Fire Chief is May 16. Assistant Chief Curtis Birt will serve as Interim Fire Chief in the meanwhile.