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GREENSBORO — Fire Chief Gregory Grayson remembers sitting inside an emergency command center June 3 in complete awe of what he was seeing.

He had been on the job for just over a week, and that night the city was experiencing some of the worst flooding in its history, with about 5 inches of rain hitting downtown in about two hours.

Resources were stretched thin. Calls for swift-water rescues and other emergencies were stacked up.

And yet, sitting there listening to radio dispatches and thumbing through photos of water rescues and meeting with other emergency personnel, Grayson couldn’t have been more pleased.

“I was so proud of our people that night,” he said recently. “That night quickly showed how capable this department was. It was amazing.”

Amazing because despite all the chaos, no lives were lost inside the city limits, thanks to the expertise and training of fire personnel, many of whom left their station’s coverage areas as needed to get the job done. “They literally did a rescue and would roll out to the next one, call after call,” Grayson said.

But it was nothing less than what he expected. With more than 20 years in the fire service in the state, Grayson, 43, applied to become chief in Greensboro based on the reputation the department has among its peers.

“Greensboro is recognized as one of the strongest departments in the state,” said Grayson, who spent the past 10 years leading departments in Asheville and Burlington. “It sets the pace for other departments to follow.”

Now in his third month behind the chief’s desk, Grayson has been listening, learning and setting priorities to lead the department’s 525-member force.

One of the priorities Grayson has set is a review of the department’s promotions process. A review committee made up of employees from all ranks, shifts and experience has been created.

“We need to make sure we are hiring good people, promoting the best people and make sure we are putting people in the right place,” Grayson said.

That also includes boosting minority hiring in the department. The city’s hiring practices at both the fire and police departments are the subject of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.

“(Finding minority applicants) is a challenge in every city, and we are faring very well, but we still have a lot of work to do,” Grayson said.

Also key is creating better communication department-wide. With more than 500 employees working different shifts at 26 locations, he has created a weekly message to all employees to let them know what’s going on at the department’s administrative offices.

Grayson is also working to:

• Ensure that all residents receive the same level of service when they call for assistance, no matter where they live.
• Plan department growth.
• Manage training, personnel and equipment needs in tight budget times.

“This is a very dedicated group of folks,” he said. “We have a very professional staff and ... we are very lucky to have a community that supports the fire department the way they do.”

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com