Meet the Fire Chief

Learn more about Surrey Fire Chief Larry Thomas.

Surrey Fire Chief Larry Thomas

Surrey Fire Chief Larry Thomas joined the Surrey Fire Service in 1989 and has worked in the ranks of Fire Fighter, Captain and Deputy Chief.

In 2017, he received his designations for Chartered Manager (C. Mgr.) and Executive Chief Fire Officer (ECFO). 

In March 2020, he was elected as 2nd Vice President of the Fire Chiefs’ Association of British Columbia and since 2021 has been the President of the Greater Vancouver Fire Chiefs Association.

Chief Thomas believes strongly in the role the Fire Service plays in providing efficient and timely services for public safety. In addition to fire protection, suppression, rescue, emergency medical, emergency planning and regional fire dispatch services, Surrey Fire Service staff delivers many additional innovative services for the benefit and safety of citizens and visitors to our city.

Fire Chief's Initiatives

Chief Thomas and the administration team work with staff to improve residential fire safety by increasing the rate of working smoke alarms. Early detection of fires allows for residents to safely evacuate the structure and provides an opportunity for fire fighters to suppress smaller fires, making it safer for residents and fire fighters alike.

Programs are in place to review team performance and provide feedback ensuring we continuously improve service delivery and efficiencies.

Health and safety of staff is also a priority for fire service. Implementing health surveillance monitoring systems and providing mental health and wellness programs to support our staff are important for our continued success.

Message from the Chief

Surrey’s vision is for a thriving, green, inclusive city – it is the second largest in B.C. and the 12th largest in Canada. We’re also one of the fastest-growing cities in the province and in our country, with hundreds of new residents moving here each month.

That kind of growth brings its own unique challenges. Surrey Fire Service aggressively tackles these challenges with a creative, modern approach that embraces best practices, evidence-led policy-making, long-range planning, and cooperation between departments and agencies.

Our initiatives include:

  • Reducing public safety risks through the efforts of the Community Property Safety Team.
  • Reducing residential fires through the HomeSafe program.
  • More efficient deployment of apparatus and staff through an automated planning tool.
  • Reducing staffing costs through a proactive attendance management program.
  • Reducing duplication in vehicle accident responses through cooperation with Surrey RCMP.
  • Reducing collisions through a partnership with the City of Surrey’s traffic engineering.
  • Providing support and resources to initiatives designed to reduce overdose deaths related to the opioid crisis.

These are challenging times. With the City’s support, Surrey Fire Service will continue to seek out innovative approaches that will enhance our service and keep our community safe, while improving our operational efficiencies.

Learn more about the Surrey Fire Service.