PSA 9/14/2026 - A Lifetime Answering the Call: City Honors Former Fire Chief Philip Albert Mares

Some people spend a lifetime in a community. Others spend a lifetime serving it.

On September 9, the City of Las Vegas had the privilege of honoring one of those people. During the regular City Council meeting, former Las Vegas Fire Chief Philip Albert Mares was surprised with a proclamation by Mayor David Romero declaring September 9 as Philip A. Mares Day, recognizing decades of service to the fire service, emergency medical services, public safety, training and the community he has always called home. The recognition was kept completely under wraps, and Mares had no idea it was coming.

The effort began with his daughter, Nikki Mares, who approached City Councilor Marvin Martinez about honoring her father’s lifetime of service. Martinez reflected on the importance of recognizing those who have spent years taking care of Las Vegas. “We wanted to honor you today and make sure that we, as a Council, are doing our part to recognize the people who have taken care of our community for so many years,” Martinez said.

Mayor David Romero read the official proclamation, while current Las Vegas Fire Chief Steven C. Spann presented Mares with a commemorative plaque. Council members also reflected on the lasting impact of Mares’ leadership and the fire department he helped shape.

Councilor Barbara Casey thanked Mares for his years of commitment to Las Vegas and for never losing what she described as his “corazón” for the community. “Thank you for your commitment to this community and for the many years you have given back to the people who call it home.”

Councilor Pacheco said it was a pleasure to have Mares and his family present and spoke about the impression the Las Vegas Fire Department has made on him as someone newer to municipal government. “It is a pleasure having you here and having the opportunity to meet you and your family in this setting,” Pacheco said. “As someone who is new to government, I see a fire department that has been led well and that has progressed to a tremendous level of professionalism. I have personally had the opportunity, under unfortunate circumstances, to experience the professionalism that has been built into that department. Thank you for your commitment.”

City of Las Vegas Finance Director Morris Madrid, who served as City Manager during part of Mares’ tenure, offered another perspective on Mares’ leadership. “Philip never asked for anything for himself. Everything he asked for was for his men and for the department,” Madrid said. “He was the first Fire Chief who asked for Class A uniforms for the firefighters.”

For Mares, the recognition represented far more than a career title. A lifelong Las Vegas resident, he married his wife, Louann, in 1979 and entered the fire service in 1982. By 1985, he was working as a relief driver and would go on to serve as a firefighter, engineer and emergency medical technician before becoming Fire Chief. He served as Chief from 2003 to 2007 and later returned to lead the department again from 2009 to 2016.

Retirement never truly meant leaving the fire service behind. Mares continued working with fire departments, ambulance services and hospitals throughout EMS Region I, helping with training, grant applications, state requirements and emergency medical services. He also served as a fire science instructor at Luna Community College, helping prepare and mentor future generations of firefighters and emergency responders.

“My love for the fire service started when I was a little boy,” Mares said. “My father was a volunteer firefighter and worked his way up to Assistant Chief with E. Romero Fire Hose Company, giving 25 years as a volunteer. When I was a little boy, I would sit in the car and watch those guys volunteer, and I told myself I was going to do that someday. So, in that sense, I followed in his footsteps.”

Mares said the fire service eventually became a family tradition. His brother, Kenneth Mares, joined the fire department; his brother-in-law, Robert Korte, served as a volunteer; his uncle Cecilio Lujan also served; and the late Harold LeDoux, his uncle, who was also a volunteer firefighter. “It truly was a family for me,” Mares said, “and that included my staff.”

Mayor Romero also reflected on the importance of taking time to recognize those whose service spans generations. “I think with transitions and leadership changes, we sometimes forget about those who have served us for a long time,” Romero said. “This recognition is well deserved. We probably should have done it sooner, but I am glad we did it.”

In response, Mares humbly stated, “I don’t expect much. I got my honor by serving the community,” Mares said. “I got to live in my hometown. I made a home, took care of my family, we didn’t go hungry. Las Vegas was good to us, it really was. It can be good to you too.”

Even on a night set aside specifically to honor him, Mares made sure the attention did not remain solely on himself. Looking toward City employees in the audience, including those who had worked alongside him throughout his career, he thanked them and credited them for helping make everything accomplished during his tenure possible. “I couldn’t have done it without them,” Mares said. “You know how it is, Mayor. You need them to get things done. You are like the captain of the boat, but somebody has got to paddle.”

In many ways, that simple statement summed up the leadership others had just described. A Chief may stand at the front, but Mares understood that leadership was never about one person. It was about the firefighters beside him, the employees doing the work, the people willing to step forward and the community they all served together.

And for all the accomplishments, titles and years of service, Mares said one part of the recognition stood above the rest. “I love serving my community,” Mares said. “The biggest honor tonight is that my daughter brought this effort forward.”

For a man who spent much of his life answering the call for Las Vegas, September 9 became a day for Las Vegas to say something back. Thank you, Chief Mares, for serving, leading, teaching and helping build a department whose professionalism continues to be built on today. Thank you for showing that true leadership is not measured by what a person asks for himself, but by what he works to provide for the people entrusted to his leadership. And thank you for showing generations of Las Vegans what it means to serve the place you call home.