>> KEN KOEPPEN was named the new chief of the Arlington Heights (IL) Fire Department. Koeppen had been serving as acting chief on an interim basis after former chief Glenn Ericksen retired to take a new job with the Illinois Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. Koeppen recently was given the Arlington Heights Police Department’s Life Saving Award after he provided immediate aid to Officer Michael McEvoy, who was shot in a domestic incident in December 2013. Koeppen started as a firefighter in the village in 1980 and has been deputy fire chief since 2005.
>> TODD BLASER was named the new chief for Manitowoc (WI) Fire & Rescue (MFR). Blaser replaces Bill Manis, who retired in 2013. As chief, Blaser is in charge of 55 employees, four fire stations, five fire engines, and eight ambulances. He began his fire service career during senior year of high school as a paid on-call firefighter with Franklin, Wisconsin, in 1986. During his career, he’s held every fire position possible and has been active in professional associations and advanced training. Blaser was hired as MFR’s deputy chief in 2009.
>> ALLYN WRIGHT was named the new chief for the New Haven (CT) Fire Department (NHFD). Wright first joined the NHFD in 1975 at the Hill Central fire station. He later served as assistant chief for two years, retiring in 2000 after accepting a job with a telecommunications company based in Asia. Wright has experience in emergency medical services and was commanding officer of the arson squad. Wright will enter the job in the middle of what is considered as a critical staffing shortage in the NHFD; there are around 116 vacancies.
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