Lompoc Names Kevin Shay Fire Chief After 18 Years in the Department
The interim chief since March gets the permanent job — an 18-year Lompoc firefighter who also teaches at the Hancock fire academy.
Lompoc's fire department has a permanent chief again, and he's one of our own. The City of Lompoc officially appointed Kevin Shay as fire chief on August 8 — a promotion that caps 18 years of service inside the Lompoc Fire Department itself, from operational and training roles through EMS and administration.
Shay had been running the department as interim chief since late March, so for most of the year the job has already been his in everything but title. City Manager Dean Albro made the appointment after reviewing all applicants, citing Shay's two decades in fire service and his long commitment to this community.
A chief who teaches the next generation
Beyond the firehouse, Shay serves as part-time faculty at the Allan Hancock College Regional Fire Academy — meaning some of the region's newest firefighters learned the trade from the man who now leads Lompoc's department.
"It is an incredible honor to serve as fire chief," Shay said of the appointment.
What he says comes next
His stated priorities read like a practical to-do list: keep the workforce trained, improve recruitment and retention, replace aging equipment and facilities, strengthen regional partnerships, and keep the budget honest. Dependable service every day, in his words, regardless of the challenges.
Facts via the Santa Barbara Independent.
Image: Lompoc City Fire Department.
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