Clayton's first full-time firefighter retires

Submitted by Town of Clayton

CLAYTON — The Town of Clayton said goodbye to a devoted employee who protected and supported the community for three decades as Deputy Fire Chief Tony Atkinson officially retired June 1.

“I’ll miss it… I will,” he said.

“It’s a little sad, a little happy. You can’t just walk away from something like that after all these years. I knew this day was coming.”

Administrators and colleagues gathered at the Clayton Fire DepartmentStation 1 on his final day to celebrate Atkinson’s 30-year career and wish him well as he starts a new life chapter.

“I am very proud of the brotherhood we shared in the

fire service and to have the opportunity to recognize Tony for this significant milestone,” said Deputy Town Manager and former Fire Chief Lee Barbee. “He has made an indelible mark on our fire department and community.

I feel honored to have known and worked alongside Tony for so many years.

“Together, we formed a formidable team and navigated many changes over the years. He’s an inspiration to us all, earning the respect of the entire community. We are profoundly grateful for his unwavering commitment, drive and spirit in protecting our Town and fostering positive change.”

Initially, Atkinson started working with the Town’s Electric Department as a Ground Worker in 1994. The position aligned well with his 20 years of service in the U.S. Navy where he focused on electrical systems, maintenance, equipment and troubleshooting. It was also an opportunity for Atkinson to leave San Diego and come back home.

“I grew up here when it was a little town — still had dirt roads — went to Cooper Elementary, and graduated from Clayton High School,” said Atkinson. “When I retired from the Navy, my family was still here. It was wonderful … peaceful and quiet.”

Six months into his new role, Atkinson began volunteering with the Clayton Fire Department, which was in the old Town Hall building, and eventually he became their first full-time hire.

Since then, Atkinson has held various positions from Fire Supervisor and Fire Marshal. In 2015, he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Fire Chief, while still retaining his Fire Marshal responsibilities.

“Over the years, I hope people have grown to better understand the Clayton Fire Department and what it does,” said Atkinson. “When I first started out, I used to go to schools, senior homes and churches to do fire prevention and fire education. Some people think that we just come to work and hang around the station, watch TV and play basketball. They really don’t see what happens all night, late in the night, getting up in the middle of the night and running calls to go take care of their neighbors and loved ones.”

Atkinson recognized some challenges of the job, such as navigating stressful situations and staying on top of varying safety protocols. “You’re working with a group of people,” said Atkinson. “It’s one team. You have different attitudes, different suggestions. You must learn to work with each other. It’s a life-changing event as far as responses, things you see that you never thought you would see or have to deal with. It’s a very important job, a fantastic job, and that’s what I would tell anybody. If that’s what your passion is, serving the community and responding to or taking care of people, this is it.”

As for the Clayton Fire Department, it will always hold a special place in Atkinson’s heart. “The people… always the people. I’ll miss the job too but the people. I’ve had a good run here. Yeah, I’ll see them. They’re not going to get rid of me that easily. I’ll come back and see them… be around if they need me.”