17/07/2026
We have another Shift 4 Alert! Lt Bruce Bromen's last day is today after a bolstering 40 year career here at ATFD! Come by and say congratulations and hey to Lt today at Station 10! Again we asked our retiree for a little insight into his long career:
"Some time ago in the last century somewhere around 1979, Bruce started his history with Anderson Township Fire and Rescue. The department had decided to sponsor an Explorer post. During one of his first meetings at station 6, as an Explorer Scout. Bruce was still undecided as to whether the post should move from a general interest post to a special interest Fire Department post. There was even an argument going on at the meeting for the same. Well, things changed right then and there. Our leader was called out of the room and quickly returned. There was a cardiac arrest going on in the apparatus bay. They needed two volunteers that knew CPR. The entire group was hooked. The post had members of the department that became mentors for them. There were even weekends at Scarlet Oaks with live burns. Who at 16 wouldn’t want to ride on the tailboard of a firetruck in fire gear and have the opportunity to extinguish fires. At the age of 18, Bruce was asked to fill in an application to be a volunteer member of the department. In 1982, the dream started; his application was approved.
He was a volunteer. The pay wasn’t great... $4.00 per incident. But he got a bubble light, a siren, rubber hip boots, a coat, a metal helmet and a radio! To make ends meet, Bruce worked in the private ambulance field and worked at Booth memorial hospital as a respiratory therapist. The time came in 1993 when he became a professional firefighter. His first station was the old Salem Road station. His first call, a cardiac arrest. Mark Ober was his mentor and showed him every screw on every truck. When Bruce asked for a retrieve, Mark taught him how to enter data into the old Macintosh computer system. Thank you, Mark! Well, lots of calls and situations later Bruce was promoted to Lieutenant. He became motivated with technology implementing the first MDCs for the department (remember the old Motorola Forte). He even dabbled with a newsletter called “Hook-It” ... he says he had nothing to do with the “Underground Newsletter”. Don’t forget about Bro-vision or BBB TV also known as the PSIN Boards he was known for here at ATFD"
Congratulations Lt Broman, you will be missed!
