Lompoc Names Kevin Shay Permanent Fire Chief

Shay's deep Lompoc roots as a longtime firefighter who teaches at the regional academy signal a stabilizing choice focused on training, recruitment, equipment replacement, regional cooperation, fiscal stewardship.

Overview

The City of Lompoc announced Kevin Shay as its new fire chief after a formal selection process and the city manager praised his long service to the community.
Shay has roughly 20 years in the fire service, with about 18 of those years spent working in Lompoc across operations, training, EMS and administrative roles.
He also serves as part-time faculty at the Allan Hancock College Regional Fire Academy, where he helps train future firefighters.
As chief, Shay said he will prioritize a highly trained workforce, improved recruitment and retention, replacement of aging equipment and facilities, stronger regional partnerships, and careful financial management.
City officials and department members view the hire as a continuity move after a period of organizational change, and progress on training, staffing and equipment will be the main measures to watch for the department and the community.