Ray Iverson, currently fire chief for the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department, has been selected as the new fire chief of the Redwood City Fire Department, City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz announced today. He will start his new role on June 7.
Iverson, a San Mateo resident, was selected following a nationwide recruitment process, the city said. He succeeds former Fire Chief Stan Maupin, who retired last year after over three decades in fire service, including 13 years in Redwood City.
A veteran since 1991, Iverson rose up the ranks in San Mateo and previously served in various roles, such as firefighter, battalion chief, fire marshal and assistant chief, at agencies throughout Northern California, including the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, Benicia Fire Department, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, as well as agencies serving Union City, Vacaville and American Canyon.
He currently serves as president for the International Fire Service Foundation, is an Adjunct Faculty member for City College of San Francisco and is a member of the San Mateo Rotary Club.
“Ray is a highly competent and experienced fire service leader and I am very pleased that he will be joining our team,” said Diaz. “His deep background in fire prevention is welcome as both Redwood City and San Carlos experience strong development interest. His collaborative leadership style and strategic thinking will help us reimagine services to meet evolving community needs and to support financial sustainability.”
Iverson has been tasked with leading a push to increase diversity in the Fire Department, per the City Council-adopted equity plan adopted in 2020.
“Redwood City is the heart of San Mateo County! I welcome the opportunity to make a positive impact on the communities of Redwood City and San Carlos,” said Iverson.
RCFD serves Redwood City and San Carlos, a combined population of nearly 120,000, providing advanced life support, emergency medical services, fire operations, fire prevention, disaster preparedness and community-based training services.
According to Redwood City, Iverson earned a B.S. in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University, an Associate of Fire Technology degree from Solano Community College and numerous professional certifications. He is currently enrolled in Columbia Southern University’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, the city said.
Photo courtesy of Redwood City
