Los Banos Firefighter Eric Gallichio was recently promoted to deputy fire marshal, marking the first time the city has had this position. Gallichio, who has been with the Los Banos Fire Department since 2002, officially stepped into the role in October 2024 after years of informally handling aspects of fire prevention and inspection.
Reflecting on his career, Gallichio shared that he began his journey as a volunteer firefighter during his senior year of high school. “I’m really enjoying the family aspect of the fire service and just helping out my community where I was born and raised in,” he said.
Over the years, he moved up through the ranks, serving as a firefighter, an engineer for nearly 12 years and later as captain. His interest in building construction and fire inspections led him to take additional courses through the state fire marshal’s office, preparing him for this leadership role.
As the city of Los Banos has grown, so has the need for fire prevention and safety oversight. “We’ve always needed the Fire Prevention Department, but as the city has grown significantly, the more commercial businesses that come in, we have to inspect them,” Gallichio said. “We do the blueprints and the plan review with the building department, the construction inspections for fire and life safety and we also inspect annually to ensure continued compliance.”
Additionally, he noted that fire origin and cause investigations are an essential part of the department’s duties, making his role even more critical.
Now, as deputy fire marshal, Gallichio is focused on expanding fire prevention efforts within the community. “Since December, I’m doing the SB 1205 inspections, which are our state-mandated inspections for schools, hospitals and apartment complexes,” he said.
These inspections must be conducted yearly, and he works closely with school districts to coordinate them efficiently.
Beyond inspections, community education plays a key role in Gallichio’s responsibilities. “Our department has always been very proactive with community engagement,” he said. “We’re streamlining things through our new fire department app and website, and we still do all of our school kids’ classes, safety fairs and hands-on CPR training. We’re just trying to fit as many as we can for the community while working with schools and businesses.”
Gallichio credits several mentors for supporting his journey, including past fire chiefs who advocated for the need for this position.
“It started 20 years ago when Chief (Chet) Guintini was still the chief. He really pushed for it, and every chief after that—Tim Morrison, Mason, Robert as assistant chief—all of them pushed for it. Chief Tualla really got the city to understand why we needed this separate position. He’s been right there with me, pushing for me until it was official.”
For those aspiring to leadership roles in firefighting, Gallichio emphasizes the importance of ongoing education.
“Before I took this position, I went into the state fire marshal training. I would travel the state taking classes, from fire inspector series to the fire marshal series. I recently finished the fire plans examiner series and am getting ready to leave for arson investigator school,” he said. “College education is a must—it has helped beyond belief. You always tell yourself, ‘five more years and I’m done with college.’ Well, I’ve been in the fire service for 22 years and I’m still going to college. The day I stop learning is the day I retire. This career is always evolving, and we have to stay ahead of it. Always go to school.”
