Many of us have our memories and stories of Chief Alan Brunacini as we mourn his loss tonight. Mine came forty years ago. I had read everything I could get my hands on about him when I was a young fire officer and I idolized him.

In 1976, when the North Charleston District Fire Department, was reorganizing after the split from the City of North Charleston Fire Department, we had the resources and support to put together a first-class department. We used much of the Phoenix Fire Department’s standard operating procedures and their proven work, tailored to our needs, to put together our operations. That year, I attended a fire service conference where Chief Brunacini was speaking. The first day there, I was walking through the lobby of our hotel and, low and behold, there sat Chief Bruno by himself. I approached him, introduced myself, and he invited me to join him. For over an hour, I talked to him about everything I could get in. He patiently took his time with me to answer all that I asked of him. That conversation led to a long friendship and many more conversations over the years as he, nor I, ever forgot our first talk.

My last conversation with him came this past June here in North Charleston when he and I were on the President’s Roundtable Forum at the Southeastern Association of Fire Chief’s Conference together along with twenty or more fire service leaders in the country. I was asked to speak about our firefighter behavioral health program and our Team. After my remarks, Chief Brunacini held up one of our Team’s brochures and said “Gentlemen, these folks have it figured out”. What an amazing validation for a program so many of us have worked so hard to build! Thank you Chief, for your friendship and your leadership over the years. Rest in Peace, Sir. You were truly one of a kind.

Gerald