Fire Chief

Fire Chief Medrano has over 25 years of experience in the fire service. He holds an associate degree in Fire Science and Bachelor’s in Emergency Management Administration from West Texas A & M University. He has worked as an adjunct instructor with the El Paso Community College Fire Technology program for over nine years.

Chief Medrano started his fire service career with the El Paso Fire Department in January 1994 promoting and rising through the ranks, retiring as Captain and Hazardous Material Coordinator in April 2020. During his tenure with the El Paso Fire Department he earned the certifications of Master Firefighter, Fire Officer, Hazardous Materials Technician and Master Fire Instructor. He specialized his training in hazardous materials, bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction and technical rescue responses as well as emergency incident management.

From 2005 through 2009 Chief Medrano was the Assistant Coordinator for the El Paso Office of Emergency Management. During this time, he coordinated receiving evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and assisted in the coordination and command of the 2006 El Paso Flooding disaster. These responses entitled him to receive certifications as a state level Operations and Planning Section Chief which allowed him to participate in four federally declared disasters with the Texas Lone Star Incident Management Team.

Chief Medrano was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and is a 1990 graduate of J.M. Hanks High School. He married his wife Elaine Lopez Medrano in 1991. Together they raised their son Gabriel.