Kissimmee Fire Department promotes battalion chief of training and two lieutenants amid shift-schedule changes

The Kissimmee City Commission recognized promotions in the Kissimmee Fire Department Oct. 20, swearing in Chris Klem as the city’s first battalion chief of training and promoting Taylor Bruno and Jamie Steffan to lieutenant.

Chief Walls told commissioners the promotions follow a fire-assessment-driven change that reduced weekly firefighter hours from a 56-hour to a 42-hour work schedule; commissioners previously approved a fire assessment and an associated fire assessment fee to support hiring and training 40 new firefighters to staff the new shift schedule (transcript 1229.0751–1288.705).

Chris Klem was sworn in as the first battalion chief of training, a new administrative post to coordinate the training of the department’s expanded roster; Chief Walls said Klem’s passion for training made him a fit for the role (transcript 1288.62–1375.535). Two lieutenants were promoted: Taylor Bruno (recently sworn in as a fire engineer two weeks earlier) and Jamie Steffan, who filled a shift vacancy created by Klem’s promotion.

Commissioners and staff applauded the promotions during the ceremony. Chief Walls credited the commission’s earlier decision to implement the fire assessment and transition to the new schedule as enabling the hires and promotions (transcript 1229.0751–1375.535).

Provenance: The promotions ceremony begins at Chief Walls’ remarks introducing the promotions (transcript 1229.0751) and includes the swearing-in language and congratulatory remarks through transcript 1643.95.