The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has confirmed that long-time emergency response leader Gregory B. Cade will retire at the end of this year after 11 years with the Association. Cade has been an effective and passionate NFPA liaison to the fire service for more than a decade, culminating his leadership legacy that began more than 50 years ago.

The Virginia native began his career as a firefighter in the Prince George’s County Fire Department (Md.) in 1968, eventually rising through the ranks during his 24-year tenure to become bureau chief. He then went on to serve as chief of the City of Hampton Division of Fire/Rescue Department (Va.) for six years and the City of Virginia Beach Fire Department (Va.) for another nine years.

In 2007, Cade was appointed United States Fire Administrator (USFA) and served as the nation’s top fire official until January 2009. After his USFA departure, Cade moved on to the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), where he oversaw national programs.

NFPA appointed Cade the organisation’s government affairs division director in 2010 working out of its Washington, D.C. office. He held that position for six years before transitioning to his current role as an NFPA regional director serving the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

In this capacity, Cade has collaborated with fire service leaders, code enforcers, and others in the interest of improving fire, building, and life safety outcomes. He was regularly seen out and about at industry meetings, or virtually onscreen during the pandemic, promoting helpful NFPA tools and resources including codes and standards, trainings and certification, public education materials, home fire sprinkler information, membership benefits, research reports, and more.

“There is not much that Greg Cade has not seen during his illustrious career. Think of all that has transpired in the fire service and in society since the late 1960s. It is all of this that made Greg such an invaluable resource within NFPA and externally as fire departments have watched their roles change from fire suppression to all-hazards response.” NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley said. “On behalf of NFPA staff and all the stakeholders that Greg has served locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally – I want to say thank you. We are grateful for the information and perspective that you have developed and shared, in the interest of public safety, all these decades.”

Cade holds a Bachelor of Science degree in fire science from the University of Maryland. Stakeholder engagement in the territories that he has served will transition to the remaining seven NFPA regional directors; details can be found here.