Con Fire Deputy Chief and former East Contra Costa Fire Chief Brian Helmick says farewell after 30 years of service. Photos courtesy of Brian Helmick
Former East Contra Costa Fire Chief, Con Fire Deputy Chief retires
By Allen D. Payton
On Monday, Feb. 2nd, Contra Costa Fire Protection District (Con Fire) Deputy Chief Brian Helmick announced his retirement after 30 years of service.
To the Residents, Partners, and Servants of Eastern Contra Costa County:
As I prepare to retire from the fire service after 30 years, I do so with a full heart and deep gratitude for the privilege of serving this community.
In 2022, I wrote to you as I stepped away from the role of Fire Chief of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District during a season of transition, as East Contra Costa Fire was annexed into Contra Costa County Fire. At that time, the work was unfinished, the future still unfolding, and my own calling to serve had not yet reached its final chapter.
Today, nearly four years later, that chapter is closing.
When I look back on my career, I do not primarily see titles, ranks, or milestones. I see people. I see firefighters who stood the watch with courage and integrity. I see labor partners, board members, city and county leaders, chaplains, pastors, and public servants who carried responsibility faithfully, often behind the scenes. I see community members who trusted their firefighters, and me, during moments of crisis, uncertainty, and change.
No one completes a 30-year career in public service alone. Whatever good came from my years in the fire service was the result of shared sacrifice, collective leadership, and people willing to place service above self.
I entered this profession as a young man drawn by the mission and the camaraderie. What I learned over time is that the fire service is not simply a job. It is a calling. A calling that shapes your character, tests your resolve, and reminds you that leadership is not about position, but about stewardship, caring for people, making difficult decisions with humility, and honoring the trust placed in you.
To the firefighters I served alongside, past and present, thank you for your professionalism, your honesty, and your willingness to hold one another accountable. You taught me that leadership is forged in long nights, hard and courageous conversations, and shared responsibility. You also taught me that trust is earned daily.
To our labor leaders, agency partners, and elected officials, thank you for standing shoulder to shoulder during seasons that demanded perseverance, collaboration, and vision. The progress we achieved together was never about recognition. It was about doing what was right for the communities we serve.
We also pause with reverence for those who have gone before us. The fallen are never forgotten. Their sacrifice reminds us that this profession carries real cost, and that serving well means honoring the legacy they left behind.
Brian Helmick will now have more time to spend with his wife, Kristen and their three daughters.
While the sacrifices made in the line of duty weigh heavily, the foundation for my service has always been at home, even though the toll of this calling often kept me from being as present as I wish I had been. I want to thank my family. This career belonged to them as much as it did to me. My bride, Kristen, carried the unseen weight of this calling with strength and grace. My three daughters shared their dad with the fire service, and I hope they know that every long shift and late night was motivated by love. They are my greatest legacy, not what I accomplished over 30 years in the fire service, but the lives I was, and am, entrusted with for a lifetime.
I am also deeply grateful for my extended family, whose encouragement, prayers, and steady presence sustained us through the demands of this calling. Your support reminded us that we were never walking this road alone.
Above all, I give thanks to God. Through every season, success and failure, clarity and uncertainty, He has been faithful. I am especially thankful for my home church, Golden Hills Community Church and for the pastors, elders, men’s ministry and small groups who have prayed for me, encouraged my faith and faithfully walked with me and my family for decades. Their spiritual support and friendship have been a constant source of strength. Scripture reminds us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” If anything I built endures, it is only because He was the builder.
While I am retiring from the fire service, the calling to serve does not retire. Although my watch as Fire Chief has passed, the mission continues, and I have complete confidence in those who remain, standing ready to answer the next call.
To the community of East Contra Costa County, thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving you. It has been an honor, one I will carry with gratitude for the rest of my life.
With sincere appreciation, respect, and for His glory,
Brian Helmick
Fire Chief Ret.
To God be the glory.
State Senator Tim Grayson, Supervisor Diane Burgis, Fire Chief Lewis Brousard and Firefighters union President Vince Wells spoke about Helmick and presented him with resolutions during his retirement ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. Video screenshots
Retirement Ceremony
Con Fire held a retirement ceremony for Helmick at Golden Hills Community Church on Saturday, January 31st. State Senator Tim Grayson offered accolades and presented him with a framed resolution by the State Senate recognizing Helmick’s years of service. That was followed by remarks by Contra Costa County District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis, who presented Helmick with a framed resolution from the Board of Supervisors and gave him a hug. Con Fire Chief Lewis Brousard spoke highly Helmick who presented him with another framed resolution, as did Vince Wells, President of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, who were among those to also speak during the ceremony. (See video)
Helmick’s retirement follows that of Brousard’s recent announcement of his own retirement effective March 30, 2026, leaving a leadership gap in the department.
Education and Leadership Experience
According to his LinkedIn profile, Helmick earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in 2014 followed by a Master’s degree in 2020, both in Organizational Leadership. Earlier in his career he served as Battalion Chief for East Contra Costa Fire for almost 11 years, then Fire Chief for a little over five years before the districts merged and he took on the role of Deputy Chief for Con Fire.
He will continue to serve as a member of the Board of Elders and as a Men’s Ministry Coordinator at Golden Hills.
About Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Con Fire provides fire and emergency medical services to more than one million residents and visitors in 13 cities and 12 unincorporated areas across our expanded 582 square-mile jurisdiction. The district comprises 35 fire stations and more than 670 firefighters and professional staff. Through our unique ambulance “Alliance,” the district delivers EMS and ambulance transport services to much of Contra Costa County. For more information about Con Fire visit cccfpd.org.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Leave a Reply