City of Vallejo logoVallejo City Manager Andrew Murray has announced that Arthur Gonzales will serve as interim fire chief. Murray thanked former Interim Fire Chief Frank Drayton for his excellent service. Drayton, a former fire chief and retired annuitant, was eligible to serve as Vallejo’s interim fire chief for a limited period of time. The recruitment process to select a new permanent fire chief will commence soon.

Interim Fire Chief Arthur Gonzales is a Vallejo native. Gonzales graduated from Hogan High in 1997. He started with the Vallejo Fire Department in 1995 as a Vallejo fire explorer and took part in the first Firefighter Trainee Program in 2000.

The Vallejo Fire Department hired Gonzales in January 2001 as a full-time Paramedic Firefighter. He was promoted to captain in February of 2014, then promoted to battalion chief in December of 2022 and most recently held the position of interim deputy chief since April of 2024.

Interim Fire Chief Gonzales says, “The vision of the Vallejo fire department will remain the same: The Vallejo Fire Department will be a progressive organization that provides leadership and high-quality safety to the community we serve. I look forward to building upon the progress we have made as an organization in this interim role.”