Glendale, CA – On Tuesday, February 5, 2019, the Glendale City Council confirmed the appointment of Silvio Lanzas to Fire Chief of the Glendale Fire Department. Chief Lanzas has been serving the Glendale community since December 2017 when he joined the department as its Deputy Fire Chief.
He began his career in the fire service at the age of 14 as a fire explorer at the Grand Terrace Fire Station in San Bernardino. At the age of 18, Lanzas joined the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as CAL FIRE, where he spent the next 22 years of his career in its San Bernardino and Riverside units. During that time, he held every rank in the CAL FIRE system beginning as Firefighter I, and promoting to Firefighter II, Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, and eventually Division Chief.
Lanzas spent 10 years of his career with CAL FIRE working in the City of Moreno Valley. He was assigned to Moreno Valley as an Engineer, Captain, and Battalion Chief. In 2014, he promoted to Operations Division Chief in the Northwest Division of the Riverside Unit. In that role, he served as the fire chief to the Cities of Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Rubidoux Community Service District, and the Norco Conservation Camp.
Lanzas has worked on engine and truck companies and in special assignments throughout his career. He has been a member of the California’s Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Team (CA Task Force 6) for 15 years and has held positions as a Plans Manager, Rescue Specialist and Rescue Squad Officer. He was the Riverside Unit’s technical rescue coordinator and US&R coordinator.
“Silvio arrived in the City of Glendale with a wealth of fire service experience,” said City Manager Yasmin Beers. “From the moment he arrived his innate leadership skills were evident.”
Lanzas stated, “I am humbled and honored to be chosen to lead the Glendale Fire Department. Our organization is a world class one, because of the dedicated men and women who work here. I will work tirelessly to uphold and build upon the high standards that have been set before me.”
Lanzas holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science and two Associate’s degrees, and is a CA State Certified Chief Officer and Fire Officer. He has also been a member of CAL FIRE’s Incident Management Teams for the past 10 years. He has held positions as a Type 1 Operations Branch Director and Type 1 Operations Section Chief. He is also a qualified Air Tactical Group Supervisor.
Mayor Zareh Sinanyan stated, “The Glendale City Council is proud to appoint such an experienced leader as our new fire chief. I believe Chief Lanzas will carry on the fine tradition of Glendale’s class 1 fire department.”
While with the Glendale Fire Department Chief Lanzas has overseen the operations, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), administrative and the verdugo fire communications sections. He was appointed as the Interim Fire Chief on December 1, 2018.
He is married to his wife of 20 years, Kara. They have two boys, Isaiah, 20, and Jakob, 8.
