Sacramento Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team Administrative Technician, Lydia Razo, has always made a difference by leading with purpose, compassion, and a deep passion for serving others—both within the department and the community.

Razo joined the department in 2019 as part of the Urban Search and Rescue Team, where she plays a key role in ensuring members have the tools and resources they need to respond when disaster strikes. Born in Japan to a military family and raised in Sacramento, Razo grew up with strong values of discipline, community, and service. 

“My favorite part is swearing in new members,” Razo said. “I love seeing their enthusiasm and their willingness to go out and support deployments, whether it’s a natural disaster or another emergency. That kind of dedication inspires me every day.” 

For Razo, helping others extends beyond her work at the department, it is a lifelong commitment that recently earned her induction into the Mexican American Sports Hall of Fame for Northern California, recognizing her extraordinary journey and service to the community. She has been volunteering with USA Boxing for nearly 19 years. 

“I started out as a boxing official, and now I’m the Chief of Officials for Northern California, the first woman to ever hold that role,” Razo said. “It’s been an incredible journey.”  

Her compassion shines just as brightly in her personal life. She and her husband of 35 years are proud parents of five children, including two they fostered and later adopted, a decision that became one of their life’s greatest joys. 

“Fostering is something my husband and I were a little hesitant to do, but we realized that it’s something that we could always help,” Razo said in the I Am Sacramento Fire video. “Whether it be a couple weeks or just a few months, there are so many kids out there who need homes.”  

Razo inspires her colleagues and the community by mentoring, encouraging service and leading by example.  

Watch Razo’s story here, as part of the Sacramento Fire Department’s ongoing “I Am Sacramento Fire” video series: