Stanislaus Consolidated fire chief Randall Bradley takes job in Tracy

A year and a half after Fire Chief Randall Bradley left Modesto for a job with Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District, he has accepted a job as the new chief in Tracy.

Bradley, who started his 30-year career in Tracy as a firefighter, was selected from a pool of 35 candidates who applied during a five-month-long national recruitment process, according to a news release from the city.

“I am just going back to my roots,” Bradley said, adding he is looking forward to using his experiences in Stanislaus County. “Tracy is re-evaluating their regional model.”

Bradley came to Modesto in July 2013 as chief of the now-dissolved Modesto Regional Fire Authority, a joint powers agreement between the Modesto Fire Department, Stanislaus County fire warden’s office and the Salida Fire Protection District.

His future in Modesto became uncertain just six months into his employment when the MRFA board began holding a series of closed-session performance evaluation meetings. Some of Bradley’s supporters said he was undermined by those who supported another candidate for fire chief.

The board ultimately voted to keep Bradley, but he resigned two months later for a job at Stanislaus Consolidated, which he said was a better fit. The regional authority disbanded a few months later.

During a massive June fire along McHenry Avenue, tensions ran high at the incident command post overseen by Salida Fire Protection District Chief Dale Skiles when a Consolidated crew was reportedly cut off from support. Bradley also expressed concern that there was no “dropped boundary” agreement between Stanislaus Consolidated and the Salida district.

But Bradley said he is leaving on good terms.

“I have learned a lot, and I have have nothing but positive things to say about my experiences here,” he said.

Bradley said his primary motivation for the move to Tracy is to be closer to family, particularly his ailing father. Bradley, 53, and his family live in Manteca.

Bradley, 53, said all the goals he and his team at Stanislaus Consolidated set have been achieved or are close to being achieved.

Most notably, Oakdale Fire Department and Oakdale Rural Fire Protection District were absorbed by Stanislaus Consolidated, which saved on operation costs. The Oakdale agencies previously contracted with Consolidated for administrative services.

Bradley is also proud of the purchase of two new fire engines, progress toward building a new fire station in Waterford and establishing a new fire intervention program.

Bradley begins work in Tracy on Dec. 1. He said he will likely continue to work at Stanislaus Consolidated through the last week in November.

The Stanislaus Fire Protection District Board will discuss appointing an interim chief and recruitment strategies at its next meeting on Thursday.

This story was originally published November 9, 2015 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Stanislaus Consolidated fire chief Randall Bradley takes job in Tracy."