Central Bureau Commander

Deputy Chief Phillip T. Fligiel is the Commander of Operations Central Bureau for the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD). He is a Los Angeles native who grew up in the west San Fernando Valley. At age fifteen, he realized his dream of becoming a Firefighter and entered the Fire Explorer (Cadet) program with the LAFD. The LAFD hired him in 1992. Chief Fligiel has earned a Bachelor's degree in Emergency Services Management, a certificate in Fire Administration, and various other certifications focusing on leadership and emergency incident management.

As Commander of Operations Central Bureau, he is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all Fire Department field and administrative operations encompassing the Downtown, Northeast, and Pico-Union areas of Los Angeles. Accountable to his command are three Assistant Chiefs, nine Battalion Chiefs, and all subordinate personnel on duty at 22 fire stations and specialized resources serving a population of 882,545 residents and business owners.

Chief Fligiel held several key positions in the Department. He was promoted through the ranks during his 30 years of service and experience in the LAFD. His distinguished career and departmental experience include holding the ranks of; Battalion Chief, Captain II, Captain I, Engineer, Firefighter/Paramedic, and staff positions in the Homeland Security Division, In-Service Training Section, and field assignments in all four geographic bureaus of the Department. Chief Fligiel is a skilled manager with proven leadership. His experience has assisted him in organizing and providing the vision and direction for Operations Central Bureau.

Chief Fligiel is a qualified California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS) Type I Planning Section Chief. He has served the State of California as a member of CAL Fire Incident Management Teams 1 & 9. For seven seasons, he assisted with mitigating multiple significant wildfires throughout the State of California. In addition to first responder services, Chief Fligiel provides tactical and operational leadership in multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional public safety planning and response for significant events and incidents within the City.

Chief Fligiel's top four priorities for Operations Central Bureau include:

• Providing exceptional public safety and emergency services.
• Building and maintaining valuable relationships with residents and civic groups.
• Improving internal communications and accountability for efficiency for fire members and the community.
• Ensuring the Operation Central Bureau's superior operational performance.

Chief Fligiel believes it is an honor and a privilege to serve as a member of the LAFD. For the past seven years, his vast operational experience, leadership, and oversight have led to the successful mitigation of multiple major emergency fires, including high-rise, commercial, and brush fires, swift water rescue, hazardous material, and multi-casualty incidents, occurring within his Bureau.