This past week Chief Alan Brunacini retired from the Phoenix Fire Department after 48 years in the fire service. Ever since he announced his retirement earlier this year, any mention of his name has brought forth a host of "Bruno" stories.

Here's mine. Even before I started with FIRE CHIEF magazine in the mid-'80s, I'd heard about "that chief" in Phoenix who was doing some really off-the-wall stuff. After I started at the magazine, I'd heard rumors about the Baggers, a group of fire chiefs — including Brunacini — who met on their own dime to mentor hand-picked, up-and-coming officers.

When I attended my first IAFC conference, I told our editor, Bill Randleman, and my buddy Chief Paul Boecker that I really wanted to meet that chief from Phoenix everyone was talking about.

As we entered the hotel elevator, Boecker said, "Well, Janet, here's the chief you wanted to meet. This is Chief Alan Brunacini."

I looked at his bold, Hawaiian shirt and his shy smile, and I blurted out, "You are not!" But Brunacini nodded yes. "Really?" I asked. He replied he was pretty sure he was, and everybody laughed as I stood speechless.

I'd read and heard a lot about Brunacini, but somehow I wasn't aware of his penchant for casual style and bright, patterned shirts. (Ah, he's tempered a bit lately.) I was speechless and then embarrassed by the image I had created in my mind of this innovative, visionary fire chief from Phoenix, as most of the chiefs in the mid-'80s were attending conferences in Class A uniforms.

Over the years, I've sat through many of Brunacini's talks and heard the attendees' comments afterward, both pro and con. I've enjoyed dinner with him and others on several occasions, and the conversations were controversial and educational. In meetings, the chief doesn't say much, but when he does, it's straight to the point.

I'll admit that I am truly in awe of five fire chiefs today — I could sit and just listen to them for hours. Each is an incredible visionary and great story-teller, and they all inspire me to think without borders. Brunacini is one of those five.