08/04/2026
Lt. Todd Lacey – 36 Years of Service
On July 19, 2026, Lieutenant Todd Lacey closed a remarkable chapter with the Denver Fire Department after 36 years and 3 months.
Todd started as a Probationary Firefighter on April 1, 1990. Over the years he worked Rescue 1, Engine 10, Truck 16, Engine 3, Truck 26, and Tower 23 before settling in at Engine 23 from 1991–2002. He was promoted to Lieutenant in February 2003 and spent the next two decades serving Districts 5 and 7, Engine 19, Engine 18 (where he opened a brand-new station), Truck 31, and finally ARFF Red 5 on the East Airfield.
But Todd’s impact went far beyond the apparatus. He was an instructor at Red Rocks Fire Academy and the Denver Fire Academy, spent years at the Rocky Mountain Fire Academy, and helped build the Glendale FD class. As a Certified Evaluator III with the Colorado Metro Certification Board, he shaped the next generation of firefighters across the region.
In 2006 he created and led the DFD Fit for Fire Wellness Program — peer fitness trainers, fitness evaluations, “Maintain Don’t Gain,” “Stop, Drop and Control,” Framingham risk scoring, CPAT coordination and mentoring, recruit fitness, DFD Physical Therapy, and firefighter physicals through Kaiser. The program earned formal recognition from the Denver City Council Safety Committee in 2010 and a Chief’s Award. A 2010 high-rise fire report specifically credited Lt. Lacey and the wellness program for the physical readiness that put water on the fire in record time, calling the members “truly Fit for Fire.”
Earlier in his career, Todd also received formal recognition from Division Chief Roderick A. Juniél for his emergency medical service during World Youth Day in 1993.
Todd leaves behind a department that is stronger, healthier, and better trained because of the work he did. Congratulations on a career well served, Lieutenant. Enjoy the next chapter—you’ve earned it.
