“Tacoma Fire Chief to RetireTacoma Fire Chief Dick Moore will be retiring February 26 after serving 31 years and nine months in the Fire Department – the last seven years as chief.City Manager Ray E. Corpuz, Jr. said he will miss Moore’s customer-oriented leadership and his way of bringing positive changes to the 428-member department.We’ve had some great chiefs in Tacoma, but in my opinion Dick has been the best chief we’ve ever had, Corpuz said.Corpuz said he would evaluate replacement options for Moore and have a transition plan in place before Moore leaves in February.During his years as chief, Moore was involved with some of the most innovative advancements in the department’s history, according to the City of Tacoma. He was involved with negotiating fire protection services under contract to the city of Fircrest and Fire District 10 in the Fife area at a cost savings to all the communities.Moore also oversaw a major facilities remodel of aging stations and construction of a high-tech training center for firefighters and paramedics.During Moore’s tenure, the department recorded the only two years in Tacoma’s history without a fire-related death. Moore cited the department’s greater emphasis on fire prevention and education as one of the hallmarks of his tenure.Moore built a positive rapport with the local firefighters union, and championed an expansion of advanced life support services to ensure greater, faster, skillful care for the worst medical aid cases.Moore joined the fire department in 1968. He became a lieutenant in 1977, then captain in 1982, battalion chief in 1988, fire marshal in 1991, and deputy chief of operations in 1992.AGI Technologies Adds New StaffAGI Technologies, an environmental engineering and consulting firm in Bellevue, is welcoming the firms newest associate, geotechnical engineer, Scott L. Hardman, P.E.Hardman has more than 15 years of geotechnical engineering experience with buildings, dams, bridges, roadway and transit facilities in several states.Other new staff members at AGI are Russ Gerads, Betty Gibbons, Kevin Roth, Mary Trute and Jonathan Turcott.”