LELAND — The Town of Leland has sworn in its new Fire Chief, Chris Langlois.
Langlois joins the department after serving 20 years on the Omaha Fire Department, most recently as battalion chief.
He replaces interim fire chief, Deputy Chief Ronnie Hayes, who was filling in for former Chief John Grimes. In April, the town created a new department and position, appointing Grimes to serve as its first Emergency Management Director.
“His experience – and his dedication to community – make him an ideal person to continue the mission of Leland Fire/Rescue and to help the department evolve as the Town continues to grow,” Grimes said of Langlois in a press release.
Raised in Louisiana, Langlois said he was looking forward to moving back down south. He got his start in firefighting at the age of 17.
“I was drawn to firefighting, as many other firefighters were, by a family member,” Langlois said in the release. “My cousin was a volunteer firefighter and got me involved, mentoring me along the way. I became passionate about fire service because it allowed me to be a part of a team that showed up on the worst day of someone’s life and did whatever was needed to try to make it right. The ability to be a part of turning chaos into order and to really make a difference in someone’s life has had a lifelong impact on me.”
Langlois earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Fire Administration from Upper Iowa University and a master’s degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University. He also holds multiple certifications from the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress and is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy, according to the town.
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