Fire Chief Dennis Haag Receives City Commendation Tonight

Though scheduled, he couldn't make it for the last council meeting.

So tonight, at the city council meeting, Fire Chief Dennis Haag - who will retire at the end of the month - will be honored for the long service he provided to Millbrae, a service that began in 1979.

"He's a very modest, non-public kind of fellow," says Councilmember Robert Gottschalk, "so the council in public is going to thank him and wish him good will, a fare-thee-well."

To replace Haag, Don Dornell, currently the chief for Central County Fire, will oversee four cities - Millbrae, San Bruno, Burlingame and Hillsborough.

Central County Fire now services the residents of Burlingame and Hillsborough.

A new deputy chief will be selected to become Millbrae's fire chief down the line. Four candidates are currently being interviewed by the city. Millbrae City Manager Marcia Raines has yet to make a final decision for the position.

In part, Haag may be retiring to spend more time caring for his 94-year-old father Walter, who has been in the hospital recently. Walter was Millbrae Man of the Year in 2009.

Born and raised in Millbrae, Haag attended Capuchino High School.

His fire service really began as and Emergency Medical Technician in 1980, a year after joining the fire department. He became Deputy Fire Marshall in 1983, and quickly rose through the ranks from there.

Haag became Fire Marshall in 1984, Fire Captain in 1985, Assistant Fire Chief in 1990, and ten years later, the Fire Chief in 2000.

Dennis Haag wore two big hats in 2004 and 2005, managing both fire and police departments as the Director of Public Safety.

"(His leadership) was so good, that for awhile, we had him doubling up and acting as police chief when there was a vacancy," says Gottschalk.

In his last appointment, Haag was appointed Fire Chief of San Bruno, running concurrently with his tenure in Millbrae. In that role, Haag led the emergency response to the San Bruno explosion.

On May 25, there will be an opportunity at the fire station on Magnolia Avenue for the public to come down, thank Haag, and say good bye.

"It's going to be really sad to see him go," continues Gottschalk. "I used to tease him, saying 'You can't retire for at least 10 or 15 years', but some of those years have flown by."

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