After serving the Madison Fire Department since 1993, Chief Bruce Jordan resigned his position on Thursday, July 10. He has led the department for 12 years.
In his resignation letter to Interim City Manager Doug Brown, Jordan expressed his devotion to the job and the citizens of Madison, recalling numerous traumatic calls, fatalities and personal injuries endured during his tenure.
As part of the DROP program, Jordan was continuing to work, though officially retired. However, the ongoing struggle to properly staff and adequately pay firefighters led him to leave his post sooner than expected. “With the financial situation that the city is in and the fact that there are not enough funds for all the city departments, it doesn’t seem having a properly staffed fire department is going to be possible,” stated Jordan. “If the city is not able to raise firefighter salaries to compete with other agencies in our area, simply reducing hours, changing shifts and reducing personnel working on shifts is not going to improve retention or recruitment.”
The looming possibility of closing the fire department due to lack of staffing is a primary concern for Jordan. “I see no solution to this problem in sight,” said Jordan. “With the death of my father and father-in-law last year, it has made me realize that life is too short and I need to start living my life differently.”
Jordan’s resignation takes effect on Wednesday, July 23. As of press time, no one has been named to lead the fire department after Jordan’s departure.