Bradenton Fire Chief Mark Souders died this morning at Blake Medical Center, after suffering an apparent heart attack, according to city officials.
City Clerk Callahan informed city council members, who were in the middle of a workshop on the second floor of the Bradenton Municipal Auditorium, of Souders’ death at about 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. The meeting ended abruptly.
Earlier Wednesday morning, Mayor Wayne Poston left the meeting after learning Souders had been transported to the hospital.
Bradenton Fire Chief Mark Souders in March 2004 presenting a dress uniform to former Fire Chief and now Bradenton City Council member Gene Gallo, at a dedication ceremony naming the new Bradenton Fire Department’s Central Fire Station, the Gene Gallo Central Fire Station.
Callahan later said the news hit him hard because he and Souders are roughly the same age and served in their positions for the same amount of time. Souders had been fire chief since 1997.
“It’s just a really tough day for us,” Callahan said. “We’ve been doing this together for so long. He loved the fire department so much. It’s just a shock.”
Bradenton City Councilman Gene Gallo, who served 11 years as fire chief, considered Souders a close friend. The two had worked together from the time Souders was in the administration at the Cedar Hammock Fire District, before he moved to the Bradenton department.
“His first, heartfelt feeling was for his men,” Gallo said of Souders. “He was a firefighter and a fire chief from head to toe. … At first, it was a shock. Now it just hurts my heart. I thought an awful lot of Mark.”
The city of Bradenton’s fire department advanced under Souders, according to Gallo.
“He was so far advanced in what it took to run a fire department that it would scare you,” Gallo said. “He set the tone technically that we never had here. He brought us out of a dark age.”
Gallo said Souders called in sick Tuesday and was diagnosed with respiratory problems. Souders had a history of sleep apnea and had multiple surgeries in an effort to correct it.
Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said Souders was dedicated to his profession.
“It was a joy working with him every day in public safety for the city,” he said. “I’m just in shock. He was a gentleman and a professional. Even if he disagreed with you, he never raised his voice.”
Other city employees were similarly shocked.
“The guy seemed so physically fit and in shape,” said city spokesman Tim McCann. “I just couldn’t believe it when I heard it this morning.”
The city hired Souders, 55, as its fire chief in January 1997 to replace the retiring Jim Hackle.
Previously, Souders worked at the Cedar Hammock Fire District as a firefighter from 1978-82, a fire inspector from 1982-87 and then fire marshal. From 1989-91 he served as Cedar Hammock’s assistant fire chief before taking over the deputy fire chief position.
Born in Albuquerque, N.M., Souders’ family moved to Florida in 1968.
Read more: http://www.bradenton.com/2011/01/05/2852187/bradenton-fire-chief-mark-souders.html#ixzz1ACJpnbjl
