AURORA | City officials have narrowed their search for Aurora’s new fire chief down to the assistant chiefs of two big cities: Dallas and Seattle.
In a statement Thursday from Aurora Public Relations Manager Lori MacKenzie, the finalists are Dallas Executive Assistant Fire Chief Fernando Gray and Seattle Assistant Fire Chief Jay Hagen.
The city hired firm CPS-HR to conduct a national search for retired Chief Mike Garcia’s replacement and opened the application process late last year.
The application period ended in early January and the company, which the city paid $24,000 for the search, started screening applicants.
According to the statement, city officials and a community panel will interview both Hagen and Gray next week.
Hagen is a 30-year veteran of the fire service and started his career at the Missoula, Montana, before joining the Seattle Fire Department in 1988.
Gray has more than 20 years of fire service , the city said, and has spent his entire career in Dallas.