Atascadero fire chief to retire
Kurt Stone has held the position for 15 years
–The City of Atascadero is announcing that Fire Chief Kurt Stone will be retiring from the position he has held with the City’s Fire Department for nearly 15 years, since his appointment as chief in June of 2001. Stone’s last day with the Atascadero Fire Department is expected to be June 24.
During his long career in fire service with the Atascadero Fire Department which began back in 1984, Stone worked his way up through the ranks by starting out as a Seasonal Firefighter, and then becoming a Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P). He went on to serve the department and the citizens of Atascadero as Acting Engineer/EMT-P (Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic), Captain/Paramedic, Battalion Chief, and as Interim Fire Chief prior to his appointment to the chief position.
Throughout his career, Stone has received a long list of awards and recognitions which include Firefighter of the Year in 2007, Life Member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, and Training Officer of the Year in 1998. Over the years, he has been selected to serve on numerous fire service committees and positions and is responsible for developing a countywide Vision and Strategic Plan for the County Fire Chiefs Association in 2006. He says he is most proud of his work with California Fire Chiefs Association where he is an Area Director to San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara & Ventura counties. Chief Stone has been a member of Cal Chiefs since 2001 and served the state-wide organization in a leadership role since 2003.
During his leadership, Stone developed a new City Emergency Plan & Provided Citywide Training, led the city through FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute Training in 2009, established a Strategic Planning & Goal Setting Model, and facilitated the Atascadero Wine Festival mission, vision, strategic plan and goal setting.
City Manager Rachelle Rickard says, “The City of Atascadero is extremely grateful for Kurt Stone’s many years of loyal and steadfast service to the city and the Atascadero Fire Department. He has served throughout his long career as a true professional. Kurt has led the Fire Department not only with integrity and passion, but also as a dedicated and dynamic advocate for his department and for Fire Service. Personally speaking, I am very glad to have had the opportunity to work closely with Kurt at the City for many years now. I will truly miss his straightforward honesty as well as his sense of humor and the camaraderie we have enjoyed. Speaking for everyone here at the City of Atascadero, we all wish Kurt only the very best that retirement has to offer”.
Chief Stone is a graduate of Atascadero High School. He received his AA in General Education & Fire Science and his BA in Political Science, Public Administration Concentration, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Cal Poly SLO in 1996. Stone has been a resident of Atascadero since 1971. He and his wife Vicci have three children & four grandchildren. Regarding the announcement, Chief Stone stated, “I truly love the community of Atascadero, and I am proud of the organization I have helped build. The staff members of the Atascadero Fire Department are among the best in the nation. The culture we have cultivated within the department is caring and compassionate, with a real sense of ‘can do’.”
“I have personally known Kurt Stone for most of his life, and I commend his true dedication and commitment to his church, his family, his community, and to fire service,” said Mayor Tom O’Malley. “Professionally, Kurt has demonstrated himself to be a thoughtful and highly capable leader of the Fire Department and has set a wonderful example for all the firefighters, engineers and paramedics who have trained and served under his guidance. Speaking on behalf of the council, we will miss Chief Stone’s level headed and straightforward approach to any issue set before him, as well as the highly capable emergency training he has provided the city’s leadership. We wish him a wonderful future.”
