Don Lombardi, Fire Chief
Fire Chief Don Lombardi has been with the West Metro Fire Protection District since 1991. West Metro is one of the largest fire districts and EMS providers in the state of Colorado, serving a population of nearly 300,000 citizens, covering 108 square miles. Chief Lombardi is responsible for all facets of life safety, suppression, all-hazards, and the district's emergency medical response activities.
Prior to joining West Metro, Chief Lombardi was a K-2 physical education instructor and varsity coach with Denver Public Schools. He has a Master's degree in Public Administration from Grand Canyon University, a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education from the University of Colorado, his K-12 teaching degree with an emphasis in coaching, and is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program with the National Fire Academy.
Chief Lombardi is the sponsoring agency chief for CO-TF1, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue. He co-authored the Colorado Firefighters Heart and Cancer Benefit legislation and is immediate past chairperson of the Colorado Firefighters Heart and Cancer Benefit Trust. He serves as past president for the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, is a past president of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs' executive board, is on the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Foundation board of directors, and is a past president of the Metro Denver Fire Chiefs' Association.
Chief Lombardi is on the Federal Bureau of Prisons' community relations board, Foothills Credit Union board, and is a graduate of Leadership Jefferson County.
Dan Pfannenstiel, Deputy Chief of Operations
Dan Pfannenstiel is a 36-year member of the fire service and has served in a variety of positions including: operations, fire investigation, fire prevention, emergency medical services, safety, and most recently- as the Chief of the Training Division. He is responsible for managing all operational aspects of the district, including uniformed personnel and equipment. He oversees the Training and EMS Divisions, directly supervises the nine District Chiefs and oversees WMFR Special Operations, handling the day to day operations of the fire district.
He holds two Associates Degrees in Applied Science, a Bachelor's Degree from Colorado State University and an Executive Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado. He is also a Colorado State Certified Peace Officer and a Colorado State certified Paramedic.
Jeremy Metz, Deputy Chief of Administration
Jeremy Metz began his career in the fire service in 1992 when he served in the Colorado Air National Guard as a firefighter. He has been with West Metro Fire Rescue since 1998 and has held several positions, including firefighter/paramedic technician, special teams captain, District Chief, and Division Chief for Emergency Medical Services.
Chief Metz is the co-chair of the Benefits Strategic Planning Team (SPT) and the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)/Uniform SPT. He graduated from the National Fire Academy's (NFA) Executive Fire Officer (EFO) program in 2017 and earned a Master of Public Administration in 2021.
Mike Kirkpatrick, Deputy Chief of Life Safety
Mike Kirkpatrick is the Deputy Chief of Life Safety for West Metro Fire Rescue. In this position, he oversees code compliance, the plan review process, community outreach, and fire investigations. He has been with West Metro since 1995, serving in a variety of roles.
Kirkpatrick is a graduate of the public safety leadership program at Denver University.
Chief Kirkpatrick is a member of the Fire Marshal's Association of Colorado, National Fire Protection Association, National Association of Fire Investigators, and the DHS Fire Service Intelligence Enterprise.
