By Charly SHELTON

At the Glendale City Council meeting Tuesday night, the council officially inducted Greg Fish as the new fire chief. Fish, who has been serving as interim chief since April, said the official appointment did not come as a surprise.

“When Chief Scoggins left, that was a surprise,” said Fish. “That definitely came as a surprise. [City Manager Scott] Ochoa put me in as interim and then [after] the open examination process I was given the honor of being the fire chief, which was confirmed by the city council.”

Fish replaces Harold Scoggins, who left the Glendale Fire Dept. in March to take a position as fire chief of Seattle, Washington.

Fish started with GFD in 1987 and climbed the ranks to captain, battalion chief, manager of Emergency Medical Services and finally deputy fire chief, the position he left to become fire chief. Fish also has an extensive history with training firefighters and teaching. In 1999, he began teaching at Glendale Community College in fire sciences and served as an instructor at what is now the Verdugo Fire Academy.

“It’s just an honor and a privilege to be out in front of an organization like the Glendale Fire Dept.,” said Fish. “I’ve been on the GFD for 28 years, and since 1906 there have been eight chiefs. I am the ninth. And it’s just such an honor and a privilege to lead such phenomenal people. Hopefully we’ll take it to the next level as far as community service and how we respond to emergencies.”

Glendale City Council also inducted Philip Lanzafame as director of the Community Development Dept. at the meeting.

  Charly Shelton