Vallejo appoints Arthur Gonzales as new interim fire chief

VALLEJO – Vallejo City Manager Andrew Murray has appointed interim Deputy Fire Chief Arthur Gonzales to serve as Vallejo’s new interim fire chief, a role that has changed hands several times since the sudden departure of the fire chief last year. 

The city announced the appointment in a statement Monday. "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," Gonzales said. "I look forward to building upon the progress we have made as an organization in this interim role." 

Gonzales replaces Frank Drayton, the former Vacaville fire chief who came out of retirement to serve as Vallejo’s interim chief in June after former Vallejo Chief Kyle Long went absent from duty in April. 

The city has not provided an explanation for Long’s departure but public records show that he signed a separation agreement in June that included a severance payment equivalent to three month’s salary.

Upon Long’s absence, interim Police Chief Jason Ta, who has since been appointed permanent chief, temporarily took on leadership of both the police and fire departments until Drayton took over in June. In Monday's statement, the city thanked Drayton for his service, noting that state laws limit the length of time that pensioners can return to public employment.  

Gonzales grew up in Vallejo and Graduated from Hogan High School in 1997. While in high school he participated in an exploratory program for youth interested in firefighting careers and went on to take further training after graduation.

Gonzales was hired by the Vallejo Fire Department in 2001. He was promoted to captain in 2014 and again to battalion chief in 2022. Gonzales has served as interim deputy chief of the department since the beginning of Long’s absence in April. 

Vallejo fire Capt. Aaron Klauber said that the department is currently involved in several projects to strengthen service throughout the city, including starting a new fire academy, ongoing recruiting efforts and replacing aging response vehicles and equipment.  

“[Gonzales] has been intimately involved in developing those projects,” Klauber said. “So in the interim, we expect to see that progress continue to move forward and not stall out, which is always a concern when you have administrative changes.”

Klauber added that Gonzales has the support of fire suppression personnel. “It is always important for a fire chief to be able to articulate what the needs are, here, of the people working in the fire station. So we are excited for him," Klauber said, "He is going to do a great job in the interim until the city can finish their recruitment process and we end up with a permanent chief.” 

Editor's note: this story has been updated to include information from Vallejo Fire Capt. Aaron Klauber.