Naming his third fire chief in five years, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today nominated Interim Los Angeles Fire Chief Brian Cummings to take over the permanent post.

“As a native Angeleno, it always gives me a sense of pride to appoint someone who has similar experiences and has worked their way up,” Villaraigosa said at news conference at Fire Station 34 near downtown, the neighborhood where Cummings grew up.

Cummings is a 31-year veteran of the department. His father also worked as a Los Angeles firefighter for 30 years.

Cummings is responsible for the deployment plan put into effect this summer, which puts a greater emphasis on responding to emergency medical calls.

Cummings succeeds Fire Chief Millage Peaks, who retired in July. Peaks replaced Chief Douglas Barry, who succeeded long-time chief Bill Bamattre.