Retired Lompoc Fire Chief with more than 36 years of service dies

LOMPOC, Calif. – Retired Lompoc Fire Chief Gerald (Jerry) Kuras, who gave more than 36 years of service to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, has died.

"Jerry was well known in the community and deeply appreciated by all the friends and 'family' he made over the years," said acting Lompoc Fire Chief Scott Nunez. "He was a man that would help anyone who needed it and will be greatly missed by many people." 

Kuras started his firefighting career as a seasonal firefighter with the California Department of Forestry in 1974 and was brought on to the Santa Barbara County Fire team in January of 1975, according to the county fire department.

Kuras retired as Battalion Chief for the county fire department in 2011 after having worked at all of the county's fire stations over his almost four decades with the department.

He came out of retirement in 2017 when he was hired as the Lompoc Fire Chief, according to the Lompoc fire department.

He was with the Lompoc department for three years – from 2017 to 2020.

Nunez said the department is mourning his loss and expresses its condolences to Kuras' family and friends.