Verde Valley Fire District Chief Nazih Hazime announced Thursday, July 19, that he will be retiring in September. "With a heavy heart I am informing you that I will be retiring from the Verde Valley Fire District on Sept. 19," Hazime stated in a press release. "I have been blessed to be a part of the fire service for 34 years and of those years, 14 as a fire chief." "I have seen many positive changes throughout my career and I have met many professional people throughout the country, mostly in Michigan and Arizona," he stated. "The majority of them became friends." "I could not have ended my career any better than leaving with positive memories from the Verde Valley Fire District family," Hazime stated.