Recognizing Chief Fernando Gray of Aurora Fire Rescue

Floor Speech

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Mr. CROW. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Fire Chief Fernando Gray of Aurora Fire Rescue, and to congratulate him on his upcoming retirement from the City of Aurora.

During his five exemplary years with Aurora Fire Rescue, Chief Gray remained dedicated to serving our community. He has surpassed expectations--striving to meet any and all challenges with innovative approaches and best practices, while emphasizing personnel safety.

As Aurora Fire Rescue's first Black fire chief, Gray was instrumental in recruiting more minority firefighters to the department, reflecting the diverse community it serves. Faced with an unprecedented pandemic, fire departments across the country were forced to restructure their operations almost instantaneously--a feat Chief Gray tackled seamlessly. He worked with the Colorado Attorney General's office to implement a consent decree agreement to restore public confidence in Aurora's public safety personnel after Elijah McClain was killed.

Chief Gray is a life-long public servant committed to making our community a better and safer place through his work in the fire service. Prior to his appointment as Fire Chief for the City of Aurora, Chief Gray worked for the City of Dallas for over 20 years--serving in nearly every capacity within the organization except Fire Chief. Further, city leadership affirms that Chief Gray's commitment to professionalism in the fire service is unmatched, and I have no doubt the City of Aurora has benefited greatly from his exemplary leadership.

Chief Gray's contributions to our community, Aurora Fire Rescue, and those around him have been enormous. I thank Chief Gray for his service to this community, and wish him the best on his next journey serving the Las Vegas community.

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