Saturday, November 06, 1999
Reading fire chief to take new job
Ashbrock joining east-side team
BY WALT SCHAEFER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
READING — Veteran Fire Chief Steve Ashbrock, a native of this Mill Creek Valley community and commander of the Hamilton County Urban Search and Recovery Team (USAR), will depart next month to become chief of the Madeira-Indian Hill Fire Department.
Chief Ashbrock was selected by the Madeira-Indian Hill department's board of trustees to succeed Bob Coy, who is retiring after almost 20 years with the department and 36 in fire service.
“While there is a slight increase in pay, I see the advantage as being able to work in an outstanding joint fire district run by a board of trustees and focused on delivering fire service rather than (the fire service) being tied to a city council,” said Chief Ashbrock, 47.
He also is an expert in dealing with hazardous materials.
He will earn $62,000 a year and move into a fire chief's residence provided by the department next to the Indian Hill Fire Station on Drake Road. The department also operates a station in Madeira.
While the Madeira-Indian Hill department is funded by tax dollars from both communities, it is controlled by an 11-member board elected to staggered, two-year terms through proxy votes mailed to all residents, or by personal vote at an annual board election meeting.
Sam Robinson, chairman of the fire department board, could not be reached for comment.
Chief Coy, 59, came to lead the department in 1980 after several years as fire marshal at the former Northern Hills Fire Department in the Finneytown area of Springfield Township. He said a health condition was key in his decision to step down.
The chief has macular de generation, the leading cause of blindness in people older than 50, and has been unable to drive. He has continued his administrative duties. The disease destroys the macula, the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the center of the retina.
“The first thing I want to do is take a vacation to someplace warm,” Chief Coy said. “Then, I don't know, maybe I'll decide to do some (fire service) consulting work. I've bought a house in Madeira.”
Chief Ashbrock moves from a department of 32 — 14 full-time firefighter/paramedics and 18 part-time, paid members — to command a larger contingent in Indian Hill-Madeira with 16 full-time firefighter/paramedics and 30 part-time, paid person nel.
Chief Ashbrock began his career here in 1974 in the city's Youth Services Bureau, dealing with youth issues and juvenile delinquency problems. He joined the fire department as a firefighter/paramedic in 1978 and became a fire lieutenant in 1985. He became chief in 1994 after scoring highest in a civil service exam.
Chief Ashbrock is expected to begin working for Madeira-Indian Hill on Dec. 1, joining Chief Coy until he leaves on Dec. 31. Chief Ashbrock officially assumes his new post Jan. 1.
“Steve has done a terrific job for us. He was a valuable person for our city. I wish him the best,” said Reading Mayor Earl Schmidt. “There is no question that we have very qualified people to succeed Steve. I am not concerned from that perspective.”
Chief Ashbrock said a civil service test will soon be scheduled in Reading and a new chief named shortly after the first of the year. The interim chief will be Kevin Kaiser, the current assistant fire chief. The civil service test will be open to Assistant Chief Kaiser and fire lieutenants Randy Fischesser, Tom Grau and Lindsay Collett.
Chief Ashbrock, as commander of USAR, coordinated the search of heavily damaged homes in Montgomery after the April 9 tornado that lashed northeastern Hamilton County.
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