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National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) Chairman Emeritus HAL BRUNO died on November 8 at the age of 83. Bruno served the fire service for more than 60 years as a volunteer firefighter, advocate, commentator, and leader. He was chairman of the NFFF from 1999 until his retirement in 2008. He aided in the development of safety initiatives for firefighters and advanced safety practices that helped reduce the number of line of duty deaths and injuries. Bruno was also an advocate for the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act, which provides federal death benefits to the families of firefighters who die in the line of duty from heart attack or stroke. A native of Chicago, Illinois, he also enjoyed a 60-year career in journalism, retiring in 1999 from ABC News where he was political director and host of the weekly talk show, Hal Bruno’s Washington. Bruno is survived by his wife Meg, two sons, and four grandchildren. |
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Orange County (FL) Fire Rescue Department (OCFRD) Chief CARL PLAUGHER retired effective November 18. Plaugher had been OCFRD’s chief since December 2000; his career spans 39 years as a fire service professional. Under Plaugher’s command, the OCFRD grew from 31 fire stations to 41. He oversaw a significant increase in the diversity of the organization, helping it become the nation’s fifth largest fire rescue department to gain national accreditation. Deputy Fire Chief Jim Fitzgerald has been appointed to serve as interim-fire chief until a permanent replacement can be found. |
Columbia Southern University (CSU) awarded LORI STONEY, the first and only female fire lieutenant with Homewood (AL) Fire and Rescue Service, with the Forney Howard Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship, which honors CSU graduate and former Orange Beach (AL) Fire Department Chief Forney Howard, who recently retired with more than 40 years of service in the fire service industry. The scholarship is for the spouses and children of active-duty public safety personnel and military men and women. Stoney is married to Andrew Stoney, a firefighter/paramedic in Irondale, Alabama. Stoney received the online scholarship based on her entry in CSU’s Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship essay contest. www.ColumbiaSouthern.edu. (888) 785-3006.
The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Board of Directors appointed RICHARD T. HAASE as the Volunteer Emergency Services Department representative to the Commission on Professional Credentialing. Haase is the Emergency Response/Security Team leader and chief for the Conoco Phillips Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Illinois, where he has worked since 1985 and has served as fire chief since 1991. Haase also served as the volunteer chief for the Staunton (IL) Fire Protection District since 1996, where he has been a member since 1983. He was awarded Chief Fire Officer designation in 2003 and holds numerous state/national fire service, EMS, and safety certifications. www.publicsafetyexcellence.org.
