Dave Bruner, 46, is the new Fort Scott Fire Department Chief, effective Jan. 6, 2020.
Bruner has worked 25 years fulltime in the FSFD.
“He’s got all the training and certificates he needs for the position,” Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin, said of Bruner.
“I began with the department as a reserve firefighter in 1992,” he said. “I was hired full time in May of 1994. I was promoted to Lieutenant in 1999, then promoted to Deputy Chief in 2014.”
In addition to numerous firefighter, rescue, and fire officer certifications, Bruner is an Advanced EMT, and hold certifications as a Fire Investigator II, Certified Public Manager (CPM), and Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS).
“I am a member of the MERGe team, Kansas Region VI EMS Council, Fire Marshal’s Association of Kansas, and the Kansas Chapter of International Association of Arson Investigators,” Bruner said.
Bruner received his Associates of Science from Fort Scott Community College in 1994 and also earned a Fire Science Degree from Hutchinson Community College.
He is following in his father’s footsteps.
” My father was a firefighter with the department for five years before taking a full-time position with the National Guard,” Bruner said. “After he left the department, he remained in close contact with many of the members. As a child, I would go to the fire station often with him to visit and over the years developed an interest in the fire service.”
For Bruner, the best thing in being a firefighter is helping people, he said.
Some of the challenges of the job?
“The constant changes in the fire service,” he said. “Changes from equipment, firefighting techniques, as well as rescue and EMS services will always be challenging.”
“The department has worked hard the past few years to update equipment,” he said. ” I want to continue that project in order to have the tools and equipment needed so that our department can continue to operate safely and effectively.”
Bruner has bee married to Michelle for 22 years and has a daughter Kylie, 21, and a son Dylan. 15.
“Michael Miles will be the new deputy chief,” Martin said. “We will find a replacement for Michael as a firefighter.”
Paul Ballou retired as FSFD Chief on Jan. 3.