Transfer of Command Ceremony

On August 1st, 2025 an historic day for West Metro Fire Rescue, as they honored retiring Fire Chief Don Lombardi, and welcomed new Fire Chief Jeremy Metz with “Transfer of Command Ceremony” at Station 10.with a packed audience on hand to witness the event starting off with Deputy Chief Gary Armstrong welcoming in the event and the “Presentation of Colors” from the West Metro Fire Rescue Honor Guard & Colorado Emerald Society. Chief Lombardi was presented with a flag that flew over the administration building for 34 minutes, each minute symbolizing a year in the fire service. Lombardi served as chief at West Metro for 14 years. After Chief Metz was sworn in, his family helped pin on his new badge. And to signify the passing of command, Lombardi presented the new chief with a bugle. In the early days of firefighting, before the advent of modern communication tools, bugles or speaking trumpets were used to amplify voices and issue orders during emergencies. The individual holding the bugle was easily identifiable as the person in charge, making the bugle a symbol of leadership and authority. The passing of the bugle symbolizes the transfer of leadership, responsibility, and the continuation of the department’s mission and traditions from one officer to the next. Chief Metz brings over three decades of experience in the fire service. He began his career in 1992 as a firefighter/EMT with the Colorado Air National Guard and graduated from St. Anthony’s paramedic program in 1996. He joined West Metro Fire Rescue in 1998, where he has held multiple roles, including firefighter/paramedic technician, special teams captain, district chief, and Division Chief for Emergency Medical Services. In 2021, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Administration. In addition to his extensive experience, Chief Metz has served as the chair of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Technical Committee on Special Protective Clothing and Equipment since 2013. He also co-chairs West Metro’s Benefits Strategic Planning Team (SPT) and the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)/Uniform SPT.  Chief Metz holds an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science from Red Rocks Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency Services Administration from Colorado State University, and a Master of Public Administration from Columbia Southern University. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s (NFA) Executive Fire Officer (EFO) program and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI) program. Metz is also a graduate of the Federation of European Union (FEU) Officer Development program and holds the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) credential from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). Additional information provided by West Metro Fire Rescue