NFPA Journal - May/June 2019 - 39

NFPACONFERENCE&EXPO
SANANTONIO2019

Hood with Alan Brunacini, the pioneering chief of
the Phoenix Fire Department for nearly 30 years. "I'll
never take Bruno's number off my phone," Hood says.

Bruno

& Me

COURTESY OF CHARLES HOOD

IN ALAN BRUNACINI, CHARLES HOOD FOUND A FRIEND AND MENTOR WHOSE
IDEAS HAVE HELPED HIM TRANSFORM SAN ANTONIO'S FIRE DEPARTMENT
"Bruno let a lot of people put their thumbprints on stuff-it was
CHARLES HOOD'S OFFICE CONTAINS a number of photothe Phoenix Fire Department way," he tells me. "He'd say, 'This
graphs from throughout his career, but few hold more meaning
needs to be fixed,' and somebody with some passion about it
for him than the shots of him with Alan Brunacini.
would fix it and make it a program that stood out nationally.
Brunacini was chief of the Phoenix Fire Department from
Those are the things I've tried to emulate. It makes it real easy
1978 to 2006, which overlapped with Hood's two-decade rise
when you grow up in a culture like that."
through the department's ranks, including a
"I don't think there's any doubt that
stint as assistant chief. Before taking the job
Brunacini's mentorship had a major impact
of chief in San Antonio in 2007, Hood was
"Charles had a firston Charles' leadership," says Russ Sanders, a
able to observe at close range as Brunacini
hand opportunity to
longtime acquaintance of both men and the
built the Phoenix Fire Department into a
watch one of the most executive secretary of Metro Chiefs, an NFPA
nationally respected powerhouse, pioneering
and IAFC membership group that includes
many of the safety and tactical innovations
progressive chiefs
from every big-city fire department in
that are still the standard in the profession
we've ever had in this chiefs
North America. "Charles had a firsthand optoday. Brunacini, or "Chief Bruno" to many of
country,
and
it's
clear
portunity to watch one of the most progreshis colleagues, was also known for his fierce
he took those
sive chiefs we've ever had in this country, and
loyalty to his firefighters, whom he empowit's clear he took those lessons to heart."
ered to shape an array of departmental initialessons to heart."
Brunacini died in 2017, and Hood keeps
tives, from specialized tactical rescue teams
a copy of the funeral service program on a
to employee nutrition programs.
shelf near his desk, alongside a pair of photos of the two men
Hood fondly describes Brunacini as not just a boss, but as a
posing together. In one, Hood, beaming, towers over Brunacini,
friend and mentor he strives to emulate. "He was a people perwhose wry expression and round spectacles are complementson, and I was always impressed by how he remembered peoed by a bushy gray mustache and a Hawaiian shirt-a fire serple's names," Hood says. "He always made you feel like you
vice Odd Couple.
were important, even if you were just a firefighter on the back
The program and photos aren't the only way Hood rememof a firetruck."
bers Brunacini on a daily basis. "I'll never take Bruno's number
Like his mentor, Hood says he has tried to involve people
off of my phone," he says. -JR
at all levels of the department in projects and new initiatives.

N F PA . O R G / J O U R N A L * NFPA JOURNAL

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NFPA Journal - May/June 2019

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