PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ray
Hanania
Thursday May 24, 2012 rayhanania @ comcast.net
Orland Fire
Protection District announces selection of new chief
Orland Fire Protection District – Veteran
FireFighter Ken Brucki, 44, was named Thursday as the new Fire Chief for the
Orland Fire Protection District.
Brucki served as a Fire Lieutenant with the Pleasantview
Fire District representing homeowners in Burr Ridge, Countryside, Hodgkins,
Indian Head Park, Willowbrook and portions of unincorporated Cook and DuPage
County since 1994.
A resident of Orland Park for the past 12 years,
Brucki said his first priority will be to bring the focus of the district back
to fire protection and safety, conducting an efficiency study that will become
a benchmark to evaluate ways to reinforce and improve fire services.
“I am very honored and appreciative to be given this
opportunity to represent one of the best fire districts in the country,” Brucki
said.
“I think the Orland Fire Protection District has so
many dedicated firefighters and employees who I know want to focus their
attentions, skills and professionalism on what they do best, providing the
highest quality fire service and professional public safety for the people of
the district. I am not here to focus on anything else. I recognize the great
esteem that the district’s firefighters have for their uniforms and what their
uniforms represent.”
Kay, who was one of three finalists for the
position, welcomed Brucki as the district’s new chief.
“At the request of the Board, it was an honor to
serve as Acting Fire Chief this past year,” Kay said. “I am proud of the many accomplishments the
administration was able to achieve during this transitional period. I intend to work closely with the new Chief
to ensure a seamless transfer of authority, succession.”
OFPD President Jim Hickey described Brucki as
someone who has a deep commitment to professionalism.
“We received applications for several dozen very
qualified individuals. Chief Kay was among those qualified candidates and it
was not an easy choice,” Hickey said.
“We narrowed the field down to the top three
candidates and in the end, the board felt that Ken Brucki has the experience,
the skills and the leadership to help us move forward with the mandate that the
public expects from us. That mandate is to provide the highest quality fire
protection services and safety, and to do so with sensitivity for the
challenges of today’s economy.”
Brucki and his wife, Patti, a high school teacher, have
three children. Jesselyn, 19, who will start her sophomore year at St. Francis
University in Joliet; CJ, 17, who will start his senior year at Sandburg High
school; and, Patrick, 13, who will be in 8th grade at Orland Junior
High school.
Brucki began his career as a volunteer firefighter
in Merrionette Park in 1988. Later, he worked as a part-time firefighter in
Darien-Woodridge before taking a fulltime position at Pleasantview. The OFPD
board voted unanimously at its last board meeting May 22 to offer Brucki the
job following the year long search for a permanent chief.
Brucki is a volunteer youth sports coach who has worked
over the years with hundreds of young people in football and baseball leagues
in Orland Park.
“I think the public will find Brucki to be a
straight shooter, a no BS kind of person who will make fire service his number
one priority,” Hickey said.
Brucki said, “I expect every member of the Orland
Fire Protection District to set aside their personal interests and work
together as a team to put the needs of the residents of our fire district at
the forefront.”
The
search for a permanent fire chief began last year in May when Kay, a 22 year
fire veteran, was named acting chief to succeed Bryant Krizik.
“Chief
Kay worked with the Board of Trustees, and with many other agencies including
local school districts, police departments, villages, Cook County government,
the State of Illinois and nationally with organizations such as the
International Association of Fire Chiefs,” said Trustee Chris Evoy.
“Chief
Kay’s experience in the Orland Fire Protection District made him the most
qualified individual in the district to assume the position of acting chief. He
worked in every firehouse and in various roles has been responsible for every
division and operations in the district,” said Hickey.
“We
appreciate the time he dedicated to this position to maintain the highest
quality service of the Fire District.”
END
