Shane Ray began his fire service career in 1984 and worked through the ranks of career and volunteer organizations serving from firefighter to chief. He served 13 years as Fire Chief of the Pleasant View Fire Department in Tennessee. After serving as fire chief, he became Superintendent of the South Carolina Fire Academy and later was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley as South Carolina State Fire Marshal. Shane currently serves as President of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, a role he has held since 2015.
Chief Ray is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, the University of Maryland’s Leadership Development Program, and the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. Shane’s education not only comes from universities and institutions but from practical experience as well. He spent many years as the 1st Vice President of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and served on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Shane does not shy away from politics, he was the state legislative representative for the fire service in Tennessee and also served six years as the mayor of the Town of Pleasant View in Tennessee.
Shane was selected as Fire Chief Magazine’s Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year for 2005 and the recipient of the Eastern Kentucky University’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award for 2006. He was also selected as Tennessee Fire Chief of the Year in 2011. He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Nikki Haley in June of 2014. Shane is honored to be a life member of the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department, the Berea, Kentucky Volunteer Rescue Squad, the South Carolina Firefighters Association, and most recently in 2019 to the Tennessee Fire Chief’s Association.