The City of Vacaville has selected Frank Drayton to serve as interim fire chief, pending city council approval at its January 13, 2026, meeting in compliance with the California Public Employees’ Retirement Law (PERL). Mr. Drayton’s appointment ensures continuity of leadership while the City conducts a comprehensive recruitment for a permanent fire chief.
Mr. Drayton brings more than three decades of fire service leadership experience, including prior service as Fire Chief for the City of Vacaville from 2012 to 2015. Most recently, he served as interim fire chief for the City of Vallejo, and currently provides executive leadership and mentoring through Drayton Consulting Services.
“Frank’s deep institutional knowledge, proven executive leadership and familiarity with Vacaville’s organization and community make him uniquely qualified to serve in this interim role,” said City Manager Savita Chaudhary. “His appointment is anticipated to provide operational stability and strategic continuity as we move forward with a recruitment process.”
During his career, Mr. Drayton held senior leadership roles across multiple agencies, including deputy operations chief and fire marshal for the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, serving more than 175,000 residents. His experience spans emergency operations, fire prevention, disaster planning, budget development, labor relations and workforce development. Mr. Drayton also served in the United States Air Force, retiring as a chief enlisted manager, where he led civil engineering and emergency response operations at the enterprise level.
“I am honored to return to Vacaville to support the fire department during this transition,” said Frank Drayton. “Vacaville has long been a community I care deeply about, and I look forward to working alongside the dedicated men and women to continue delivering high-quality emergency services to our residents.”
The interim appointment through CalPERS allows the City to meet immediate operational needs while maintaining compliance with the PERL. If approved, Mr. Drayton would serve in a temporary capacity following the retirement of Fire Chief Kris Concepcion, until a permanent fire chief is appointed.
About the City of Vacaville
The City of Vacaville is located 50 miles northeast of San Francisco and 30 miles southwest of Sacramento along the Interstate 80 corridor. Vacaville is a vibrant community in one of the fastest-growing areas of the nation. Vacaville has a population of more than 102,000 with a full-service operation that includes police, fire, water, sewer, community planning, public works, and related professional administrative services. Vacaville is one of California’s most attractive family communities with a historic past deep in culture, and a wealth of amenities with dozens of parks, community centers, museums, public venues, attractions, and events. Vacaville is home to some of the largest and most successful life-science companies in the world, and one of California’s top five premium outlet centers.