Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department (IFD) Battalion Chief STEVEN F. AUCH passed away at the age of 56. Auch was appointed to the IFD in 1978; his assignments included Station 21, Engine 12, and Engine 11. In 1986, he was promoted to lieutenant. He served in Rescue 19, Rescue 2, Battalion 2 aide, and EMS duty officer until his promotion to captain in 1999. He served on Medic Squad 10, Engine 11, and as chief of EMS. In 2003, Auch was promoted to battalion chief. He was also Battalion Chief 11 A since 2007. Auch was an EMT/paramedic; hazmat, TOSS, and instructor 1 and 2 certified; and active with Peace Camp and the World Police and Fire Games. Auch was one of the original IFD members who worked on FDIC since its first year in Indianapolis in 1995. He is survived by his wife Donna and her three children.
CHARLES E. “ED” KIRTLEY was named the new director of Oklahoma State University (OSU) Fire Services Training (FST). Kirtley worked for OSU Fire Services Training from 2004 to 2006 as an officer/instructor program coordinator. He then served as the International Fire Service Training Association projects coordinator for OSU Fire Protection Publications from 2006 until accepting the director’s post for FST. In addition to his work for OSU, Kirtley is a former fire chief for Guymon, Oklahoma; a training director in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and an instructor and curriculum developer for both the National Fire Academy and the Emergency Management Institute.
DARYL L. OSBY was announced as the new county forester and fire warden of the Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department. Osby will be the department’s ninth fire chief, a position held for the past 22 years by retiring Chief P. Michael Freeman. Osby also becomes the Department’s first African-American fire chief in its 88-year history; he was also the first African-American chief officer to be appointed to the rank of chief deputy in April 2008, serving as chief deputy of both Emergency Operations and Business Operations. In his new role, Osby will be responsible for the direction of all forestry and fire operations as well as budget, personnel, fiscal, and other administrative matters.
Port Orange (FL) Department of Fire & Rescue’s Leadership Committee chose Driver/Engineer DOMINICK LEONE as its Firefighter of the Year for 2010. Leone has served the City of Port Orange for 19 years. He worked as a meter reader and spent some time in code enforcement before joining the Fire & Rescue Department in 2003. Leone has been recognized as the Firefighter of the Month on several occasions.
BOB BARRACLOUGH, chief columnist for Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment magazine and past president of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA), passed away on Friday, January 21. A memorial in Barraclough’s honor will take place at FDIC 2011. He was a 50-year veteran of the fire service and fire manufacturing industry. He was also a 20-year member of the NFPA 1901 Fire Apparatus Standards Committee. A principal organizer of the annual FDSOA Apparatus Specification Symposium, he also served as a consultant to Rosenbauer America. His career included executive positions at E-ONE, Hale Fire Pumps, National Foam, Span Instruments, and Class 1.
