San Rafael Fire Department Chief Christopher Gray, who shepherded the multi-million-dollar renovation of the city’s fire stations and public safety headquarters, is set to retire on Dec. 6.
The chief, who has been at the helm of the department for 12 years, said after a 41-year career, it’s time to hang up his helmet for good.
“At a certain point you realize, ‘OK, it’s been a good run,'” said Gray, 62, a San Rafael resident. “I’m looking forward to spending time with my family. I’m staying local, so I’m not going anywhere.”
As a farewell, the fire department and city officials are celebrating Chief Gray’s career at a ribbon cutting ceremony for Station 57, which recently underwent a $13.4 million redo. The event is at 5 p.m. Nov. 19 at 3530 Civic Center Drive.
City Manager Jim Schutz said city officials have enlisted Bob Murray and Associates to assist in a national search for a new chief. Deputy Chief Robert Sinnott will serve as acting chief in the interim, Schutz said.
“Chief Gray is the epitome of a leader who puts everyone else’s needs first,” Schutz said. “There is no task too large or too small. Chief Gray will always show up with a great attitude and ready to help. He is the ultimate team player who helps carry a team to success and then deflects praise to all the other team members.”
Mayor Gary Phillips, who is retiring from the City Council next year, said Gray “has been just truly outstanding.”
“He has provided an outstanding service to San Rafael and its citizens,” Phillips said. “He is outstanding with city employees, both firefighters and those at City Hall, he is a great spokesman for the city. He will be sorely missed.”
As for finding a replacement, Phillips said, “I would clone (Gray) if I could.”
Gray was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and was raised in Pasadena in Southern California. He has three sisters.
He has been married to his wife Cynthia for 37 years. They have a son, a daughter, a basset hound and a Holland lop rabbit.
He earned degrees in fire administration from Pasadena City College and Cogswell College. He also earned his fire protection engineer certification from the University of California at Los Angeles, executive fire officer designation from the National Fire Academy and completed a fellowship at Harvard University’s senior executive program at the JFK School of Government.
Gray said his interest in becoming a firefighter was piqued 60 years ago when his parents took him to a Los Angeles fire station on Fire Service Day. That was followed by a fire-themed birthday.
“The childhood dream was realized in 1978,” he said, when he moved to Farmington, New Mexico, to accept his first position as a firefighter.
A year later, he became a firefighter at the Pasadena Fire Department, working just a few blocks from his childhood home. In 1986, Gray moved to the Glendale Fire Department, where he worked for 21 years, serving 10 years as assistant fire chief and seven as chief.
Gray accepted the position of fire chief in San Rafael in 2007. Today he serves as the fire chief and fire marshal for San Rafael, Marinwood and Marin County service areas 13 and 19.
City officials credit Gray for building a strong fire department serviced by quality firefighters and administrators, for being instrumental in guiding the city’s wildfire and protection plan that was approved by the City Council last year and for collaborating with neighboring Marin communities in efforts that evolved into a countywide joint powers agreement to form the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority.
“He has mastered the art of building relationships in order to make San Rafael a better place to work, live and play,” Deputy Chief Sinnott said.
“Chief Gray is one of the most innovative and inspiring fire chiefs I have ever known or had the honor to work for,” he said. “Chief Gray works tirelessly for the people of San Rafael. He is constantly striving to improve operational capability while controlling costs.”
With the downtown public safety center construction continuing for another year, Gray said it would have been nice to set up office there once it was complete.
“I would have loved to see that,” he said. “But inside my heart, my work has been about far more than buildings. It’s about people.
“I’m just really thankful and grateful to have been able to serve the community,” he said. “And I’m looking forward to whatever the future brings.”
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