A retired Middletown firefighter and U.S. Marine battled to the end, his mother said. “He was a fighter,” said Ginger Bruggeman. “He was a Marine and he never gave up. He’d be at death’s door one day and one hour later, he’d be telling jokes.” Her son, Scott D. Bruggeman, 45, of Middletown, died Monday after battling heart disease for almost two years.
- PUB DATE: 1/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Hamilton journal-news

Detroit Fire Department has been, and continues to go through challenging times as the Motown city recovers from bankruptcy and an unprecedented de-population of what was once the fourth largest city in the nation. Until November, Craig Dougherty, a 38-year veteran of the department, served as the second deputy fire commissioner in charge of operations and apparatus.
- PUB DATE: 1/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: firehouse

Former Olmsted Township Fire Chief John Rice has accused Fire Chief Patrick Kelly of conduct violations, and a group of residents is collecting signatures asking the township board of trustees to investigate Kelly. Kelly, the former Cleveland fire chief who took over the small department in September, placed Rice, now assistant chief, on paid administrative leave this month.
- PUB DATE: 1/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cleveland Plain Dealer & Cleveland.com

The Chicago Fire Department could save at least $1.2 million a year and potentially millions more in overtime by hiring civilians to perform 34 administrative jobs that have nothing to do with firefighting or emergency medical service, Inspector General Joe Ferguson said Wednesday. Three years after urging Mayor Rahm Emanuel to civilianize police jobs to save up to $16.
- PUB DATE: 1/21/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: chicago sun-times

Denver Fire Chief Eric Tade stood outside his station Wednesday and talked about what it was like to be stabbed in a random attack the day before. "It was a very surreal experience — the scariest part was being trapped and restrained in the car," he said. Denver police say the woman accused of stabbing Denver's top firefighter Tuesday afternoon had no connection to him.
- PUB DATE: 1/21/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Denver Post