Mike Franco

E.S.D. No.1 Fire Marshal

A dedicated second-generation firefighter with over 30 years of distinguished service in fire prevention, emergency response, and public safety. Proven leadership in roles including Assistant Fire Marshal, Fire Operations Officer, Fire Inspector, and Fire Investigator. Deeply committed to community protection and safety education. A certified Texas Peace Officer, bringing extensive experience in fire code enforcement, incident command, and interagency coordination. Recognized for integrity, calm under pressure, and lifelong service to the fire service legacy.

Primary Duties

• Lead the El Paso County Emergency Services District #1 — Fire Marshal’s Office in performing fire inspections; plan review; fire investigations, and fire system final acceptance tests.
• Inspect interiors and exteriors of residential (when required by the State of Texas), commercial, industrial, and other buildings to detect fire hazards; efficiency of fire protective equipment; and adequacy of fire escapes and exits.
• Inform and discuss conditions of building storage and equipment with the owner or manager and make recommendations regarding unsafe conditions.
• Issue official notices for fire code violations and work with the community, building/business owner(s), or manager in correcting such violations.
• Assist/conduct fire prevention programs and public education at public buildings; commercial businesses for employees, and school fire drills for school districts.
• Review, monitor; and verify code-compliance for the final building occupancy for all new construction and fire protection systems in El Paso County of E.S.D. #1’s jurisdiction.
• Ensure compliance with all adopted fire code requirements and NFPA standards; provide technical assistance to architects, designers, contractors, and fire department personnel.

Objectives

• To prevent and/or reduce the number of fire incidents and casualties within the community.
• To provide the community with education and increased knowledge of fire safety practices.
• To provide high quality and the most efficient customer service possible.
• To provide easy to do business with interactions.
• To continue expanding knowledge, skills, abilities, and education of the department.