Names in the News: November 13, 2022

LARRY SNYDER JR. was named the new chief of the Williamsburg (VA) Fire Department (WFD). Snyder had been serving as WFD interim chief since March, and has been its deputy chief since 2014. A 27-year fire and EMS veteran, he will also serve as the city’s coordinator of emergency management. Snyder served with the Hanover County (VA) Fire-EMS Department, starting in the field at 16, volunteering for the Ashcake Volunteer Rescue Squad. After graduating from William & Mary with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Snyder returned to Hanover, working as a full-time firefighter/medic with Hanover Fire and EMS.

CLAYTON FARR JR. was named the new chief of the Columbia (MO) Fire Department (CFD), where he has been serving as acting chief since September. Farr has multiple law enforcement and fire service certifications at the state, federal, and international levels, and has degrees from the University of Missouri and Columbia College, where he studied electrical engineering and business administration, respectively. Farr is now working on a public safety curriculum for all Boone County high school students, which will allow students to be certified in fire and emergency medical services and 911 center operations.

THOMAS LAKAMP will take over as the new chief of the Fairfield (OH) Fire Department (FFD) on December 5. Lakamp is a 26-year veteran of the Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department, where he had been serving as the assistant chief of its administrative services bureau since 2016. He has a master’s of arts in securities studies (Homeland Security) from the Naval Postgraduate School and a bachelor’s of science in fire and safety engineering. Lakamp has been a featured speaker at FDIC International and earned Cincinnati’s Fire Chief’s Award in 2016 and Distinguished Service Award in 2015.

TODD TUGGLE will take over as the new chief of the San Luis Obispo (CA) Fire Department (SLOFD) on December 5. Tuggle is currently the chief of the Santa Maria (CA) Fire Department, where he has served since 2020. He is a 17-year veteran of the Fresno (CA) Fire Department, where he served as deputy chief of training and special operations. Tuggle also worked with state incident management teams for more than 10 years and graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey with a master’s degree in homeland security. He will replace current SLOFD chief Keith Aggson, who will officially retire on December 9.

MICHAEL A. CONTRERAS was announced as the new chief of the Cathedral City (CA) Fire Department. Contreras is a 32-year veteran of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), where has been a member of the executive leadership team as well as a member of the urban search and rescue team. Contreras has also held several positions at the OCFA, including training officer, recruit academy instructor, academy fitness coordinator, academy coordinator, department safety officer, hazardous material specialist, and assistant public information officer.