Bryan Stalder
Contributor

Kansas City Fire Chief Ross Grundyson, a 30-year veteran of KCFD who has led the department since early 2023, has announced he will retire in January 2026. Grundyson shared the news with fire department officials this fall, saying the time was right “to pass the torch” after more than two years as chief.

As part of this transition, Grundyson will help City Manager Mario Vasquez select his successor. The city is conducting a nationwide search and recently relaxed its educational requirements for the position, shifting its focus toward operational experience in large urban fire departments.

Last week, the city introduced three finalists for the job—none of whom come from within KCFD. Craig Buckley, Michael Marino, and Michael Mire, were introduced to the public at a forum hosted at the Kansas City Public Library’s Plaza Branch (4801 Main St.) on Thursday, December 4. Each candidate presented their vision for KCFD, focusing on leadership, community trust, innovation, and employee development, with plans for a new Chief expected soon after the nationwide search. These candidates have backgrounds in Houston, Orlando and the Washington, D.C., regions.

Their introduction marks a notable shift for the department, which had seen interest from internal leaders, including two KCFD deputy chiefs. However, the final pool now consists entirely of outside applicants. Kansas City Fire Department (KCFD) Chief Grundyson’s departure closes a chapter marked by both challenges and progress within the department, while the city looks ahead to selecting a new chief who will guide KCFD into its next era.