Ann Arbor officially announces new fire chief

“We are fortunate for the over three decades of fire services experience Dominick will bring to our city,” Police Chief Barnett Jones, safety services area administrator, said in a press release. “Dominick also is a proven leader, which is invaluable for the department. We welcome him aboard.”

Lanza has spent nearly his entire adult life as a career fire-rescue professional, serving as a firefighter, paramedic, battalion chief and assistant chief. He began his firefighting career as a volunteer with the City of Lauderhill, Fla., fire department, where he was later hired as a professional firefighter in 1973.

His career experience also includes more than 30 years of service with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office Department of Fire Rescue in Fort Lauderdale, from which he retired as assistant chief of operations in 2007.

Lanza has an associate’s degree in fire science from Broward Community College and a bachelor of science degree in management from Nova Southeastern University.

Lanza and his wife, Julie, a retired fire services battalion chief, are coming to Ann Arbor from Tennessee.

Lanza comes at a tough time in the city, which told the firefighters union it is considering laying off 19 people in July and eliminating another vacant position to help deal with a budget shortfall.