A decision on a new Bridgeport fire chief is far enough into the future that City Manager Kim Haws said Tuesday that he had to evaluate how the city would go about looking for a new individual to head up that department. However, one decision was made yesterday.

 

City Clerk Andrea Kerr said that Haws has appointed long-time Bridgeport Fire Department employee Phil Hart as the interim chief. Hart currently holds the rank of captain.

 

The need for an interim chief came suddenly Tuesday morning. It was yesterday that Chief Robert “Bob” Seccuro informed Haws that he was resigning from his post. Haws confirmed that the resignation, which he said was related to personal reasons, was effective immediately.

 

Haws said at the time that an interim chief would need to be appointed to provide “continuity” at the department. That continuity will come in the form of Hart.

 

Hart is no stranger to the department nor the role of interim chief. He served in that capacity when Chuck Feathers retired from the department on Feb. 1, 2014 after 33 years in Bridgeport and nearly four decades in the firefighting business.

 

Feathers was replaced by Seccuro following a nationwide search for a chief that also included interviews with in-house candidates. Seccuro began his duties in May of 2014.

 

Stay tuned to Connect-Bridgeport for information on the process to replace Seccuro as it develops. A message left for Seccuro seeking comment has not been returned.

 

Click HERE for the story on Seccuro's resignation.