Gov. Jeff Landry has named Chad Sonnier, the director of the Lafayette Parish Office of Homeland Security, as the state’s new state fire marshal. He also promoted the current fire marshal, Bryan Adams, to an appointment in the Louisiana Department of Public Safety.

Adams will serve as principal assistant to the deputy secretary of that department, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said Friday.

In that role, Adams will oversee the daily operations of five state offices: the Office of State Fire Marshal, Office of Motor Vehicles, Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, Louisiana Gaming Control Board and Louisiana Liquefied Petroleum Gas Commission.

The appointments will take effect on Monday, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said in a news release Friday.

Adams had served as state fire marshal since January 2024.

Sonnier, who will become state fire marshal on Monday, has more than 37 years of fire service experience. He had served as fire chief of the Scott Fire Department for more than 20 years, before serving for the past two years as the director of the Lafayette Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Mayor-President Monique Boulet appointed Sonnier as the director of GOHSEP for Lafayette Parish in September 2024.

Sonnier was responsible for leading Lafayette Parish’s emergency preparedness efforts, facilitating coordination among federal, state, and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. His primary focus was to enhance collaboration before, during, and after critical emergency events, ensuring the safety and resilience of the community.

“I was 18 years old, hired to be in the fire service and helping people in their time of need,” Sonnier said in 2025 after his appointment. “It is something I’ve really become accustomed to, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. People call 911 at their worst time of day or worst time in their life, and we’re there to help them. That’s what we’re there for.”

Prior to joining OHSEP, Sonnier served as Fire Chief for the City of Scott for 23 years, where he played a key role in disaster mitigation, recovery efforts, and emergency response operations. Known for his expertise in securing funding, Sonnier has successfully obtained more than $26 million in grant funding from federal and state sources. His career includes a range of roles such as Firefighter, Haz-Mat Technician, Fire Engineer, Fire Coordinator, and Haz-Mat Chief. In 2020, his contributions were honored when he was inducted into the Louisiana Fire Chief’s Hall of Fame.

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