Assistant fire chief wins service award

Rodewald with Morgana Yahnke, president of the Northern California Fire Prevention Officers.

Rick Rodewald, UCSC assistant fire chief/campus fire marshal, was awarded the Charles H. Gray Award at a recent banquet hosted by the California Fire Chiefs Association and the California Fire Prevention Officers.

The award is presented annually for outstanding service to the Northern California Fire Prevention Officers. Rodewald was recognized for his years of service to the organization since 1984, having risen through all of the executive board appointments to become president. He was also recognized for his 10 years of service as co-chair of the association's annual workshop of week-long training programs for the development of fire service professionals.

Charles H. Gray, a fire marshal for the City of Santa Rosa Fire Department, was a longtime member of the California Fire Chiefs Association Fire Prevention Officers-Northern Division and rose up through the organization to become president in 1977.

As a tribute to his dedicated service, the Charles H. Gray Memorial Fund Service Award and Scholarship program was established.

The goal of the fund is to promote, recognize, and foster dedicated service in the field of fire prevention. In addition to the annual award, additional awards, scholarships, and grants are conferred as deemed appropriate by the board of directors.