John L. Drake II

Biography

John Drake, a 38-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) retired in 2024 as the Chief Deputy in charge of LAFD Emergency Operations. He was responsible for the direction, coordination, and control of LAFD line functions, and more than 3,000 personnel who were assigned to Operations Central Bureau, Operations South Bureau, Operations Valley Bureau, Operations West Bureau, Air Operations Section, Emergency Medical Services Bureau / Medical Director, Homeland Security Division, Metro Fire Communications, and the Disaster Response Section. Chief Drake was a member of the FIRESCOPE Operations team and the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association who responded to major emergencies and significant incidents as either the Incident Commander or Agency Administrator.

As an inclusive, adaptable leader who not only maintained progressive skills in enhancing relationships with elected officials, community representatives, and internal/external stakeholders, Chief Drake positively influenced LAFD direction, improved public safety all-hazard services and facilitated the development of the LAFD’s most important resource: people. His strengths include innovative collaboration, motivational team building, and strategic planning, and as Chief Deputy and former president of the LAFD Chief Officer’s Association, he enhanced relationships with management personnel, city departments and labor organizations.

Chief Drake earned a doctorate from the University of Southern California (USC) where his primary focus centered on organizational improvement and strategic planning. As an adjunct professor at USC, he instructed a graduate level course, “Public Sector Performance Management” which was designed to facilitate greater understanding of the leadership practices associated with effective strategic planning, performance leadership, performance measurement, and performance management factors that contribute to the achievement of organizational, program, and/or project goals. Chief Drake also instructed Incident Command and ethical, motivational, and transformational leadership programs for the LAFD, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and Los Angeles County Probation Department.