During the April 15 City Council meeting, Shannon Langford’s hire was finalized by council after the recommendation by City Manager Alison Ortowski.
The gist
Langford is currently the assistant chief of operations for the city of Farmers Branch. He will start his new job May 5, according to a news release.
Ortowski said the city worked with CPS HR Consulting and received 72 resumes from a nationwide search. There were 20 phone screenings, nine virtual interviews and then in-person interviews.
Langford will replace former fire chief Mike Starr, who retired Aug. 31, 2024.
In their own words
“I just want to thank you for entrusting me in this exciting opportunity to serve this great city and great department and stand by, because there's gonna be great things to come,” Langford said.
The background
Langford brings more than 32 years of experience, according to the presentation at the council meeting.
He started his career as a paramedic in Haskell, with stops at Austin-Travis County EMS, Terrell and Rockwall. He was a flight paramedic for CareFlite in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and North Texas LifeStar in the Sherman-Denison area.
Langford started his firefighter career at the Allen Fire Department in 2001, according got his LinkedIn page. He was there for 19 years.
He’s been a battalion chief, deputy chief and assistant chief at Farmers Branch, starting in September 2020.
What they’re saying
"Chief Langford brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience that will serve our community well,” Ortowski said. “His depth of expertise in fire service operations, training and team development—combined with his servant leadership approach—positions him to lead with both competence and heart. We’re confident he will build on our department’s strong foundation and continue to elevate the level of service we provide to Southlake residents.”
