Waco Fire chief to retire after 3 years in Waco, 41 years in fire service

Waco Fire Department Chief Gregory Summers speaks at a ceremony in April in front of Fire Station No. 1 to celebrate the department’s 150th anniversary. Summers announced Tuesday he will retire at the end of the year.
Jerry Larson, Tribune-Herald file photo

Waco Fire Chief Gregory Summers announced his retirement in a letter Tuesday after leading the department for the last three-and-a-half years.

Summers said he will finish out the year as chief. By his last day in the role Dec. 31 he will have spent 41 years in the fire service. In the letter, Summer wrote that he reached his decision to retire “with a heart full of gratitude” for his journey. He said coming into the job in Waco, he knew it would be his last gig as a fire chief. He said his wife has sacrificed a lot supporting him throughout the years, and it was time to return the favor.

Summers said he is proud of what he has accomplished in Waco.

“Reflecting on my tenure here, I am filled with a profound sense of accomplishment,” Summers said. “We have achieved remarkable milestones that have not only elevated the fire department but also contributed to the safety and well-being of the community.”

Summers said one of his most significant achievements as chief in Waco was his efforts to increase diversity in the department. Before he began as chief, Waco had zero women serving as firefighters, with just one serving in the role in the department’s history. Now, the department has five “talented and dedicated women firefighters“ in the department’s ranks, Summers said.

Summers also said the department has expanded in general and grown stronger during his tenure, adding 19 firefighter positions, bolstering the department’s operational capacities and allowing new talent to the join the ranks.

“This expansion has infused our department with fresh perspectives and skills, enriching the department’s collective expertise,” Summers said.

He also wrote that Waco Independent School District has expanded its Future Heroes Academy to include firefighter and EMT training, demonstrating the community’s commitment to inclusivity and the strength that arises from embracing diverse perspectives.

Summers also said he has led the department in addressing the “critical issue” of cancer in the fire service, which is the leading cause of death for firefighters. He said the department expanded its partnership with On Duty Health to screen firefighters for cancer.

“By taking proactive measures, we are safeguarding the health and well-being of our firefighters, ensuring they have the support and resources they need to lead healthy lives,” Summers said.

Summers wrote that the department has made technological advancements during his tenure, implementing a digital asset tracking system, a document management system and an IP-based fire station alert system.

The department has invested more than $15 million on new vehicles and apparatus and secured more than $12 million for new fire stations.

Waco Fire Capt. Phillip Burnett, president of the Waco Professional Firefighting Association, said the department is happy for Summers and wishes him the best in his future endeavors. Burnett said the department has had many successes during Summers’ years as chief, and said his leadership was integral in many of those accomplishments.

Summers stepped into the role as Waco’s chief on March 30, 2020, taking over the position from Bobby Tatum Jr. Summers became the second Black chief of the department after Tatum.

Prior to coming to Waco, Summers served as fire chief in Little Rock, Arkansas, from 2009 to 2018. He started his career in the fire service in Little Rock in 1983 after serving in the Army. Summers worked his way up the ranks in Little Rock before retiring there in 2018, though he continued to do consulting work for several other departments.

Summers told the Tribune-Herald in 2020 that after his retirement, he realized he could not pull himself away from the fire service and applied for the Waco job. He said he found the post attractive as a good fit for him and an opportunity to take the department from good to great.

Summers said the community of Waco was growing, and he felt like if he became chief, he could make a difference, something he feels he has done.

Closing the letter, Summers said his leadership has paved the road to continued success for the department.

“As I prepare to embark on a new chapter in life, I will leave with a sense of fulfillment and immense pride in all that has been accomplished during my tenure,” Summers said. “The City Manager Office has played an integral role in shaping our department into what it is today, and for that, I’ll be forever grateful.”

Once the year has concluded, Summers said he plans to travel around the country in an RV with his wife.