Deputy Chief Phillip Fligiel brings 33 years of comprehensive all-hazard fire service experience to his current role as Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations for the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD). A Los Angeles native raised in the San Fernando Valley, his aspiration to become a Firefighter was realized as a teenager, culminating in six years with the LAFD Fire Explorer (Cadet) program.

Commencing his career with the LAFD in 1992 as a Firefighter, Chief Fligiel has steadily advanced through the ranks, holding key operational positions including Firefighter/Paramedic, Engineer, Captain I, Captain II, and Battalion Chief, and Deputy Chief of Operations West and Central Bureaus. His distinguished career also encompasses significant staff assignments including Homeland Security Division, In- Service Training Section, Department Operations Center (DOC), alongside diverse field assignments across all four geographic bureaus of the Department, demonstrating his versatile expertise and proven leadership.

As Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations, Chief Fligiel is responsible for the strategic leadership, direction, coordination, and control of all emergency line functions within the LAFD. This encompasses the four Geographic Emergency Operations Bureaus, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Bureau, Metropolitan Fire Communications (MFC), Air Operations, and Special Operations including: Disaster Response, Marine Operations, CBRNE/Haz-Mat, Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC), Critical Incident Planning and Training, and the Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA) at LAX. His extensive experience continues to be instrumental in shaping the vision and direction of LAFD Emergency Operations.

Notably, during his decade-long tenure as Deputy Chief, he has provided decisive command and operational experience at numerous all-hazard emergencies, including significant commercial building fires, high-rise incidents, vegetation fires, swift water rescues, Urban Search & Rescue (US&R), hazardous materials and multi-casualty incidents, including the 2025 Palisades Fire.

A qualified California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS) Type I Planning Section Chief, he has served the State of California for six seasons as a key member of CAL FIRE Incident Management Teams 1 and 9, contributing significantly to the mitigation of large-scale wildfires statewide. Beyond emergency response, Chief Fligiel provides critical, tactical, and operational leadership in multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional public safety planning and response for significant events and incidents within the City, serving as the coordinator for the LAFD Type III Field Incident Management Teams (FIMT).

Chief Fligiel holds a Bachelor's degree in Emergency Services Management, a certificate in Fire Administration, and numerous certifications focusing in leadership and emergency incident management. He considers his service to the Los Angeles City Fire Department a distinct honor and privilege.

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