KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Fire Department said Thursday that a former chief who served for around 15 years died. In a post on social media, KFD said Bruce Cureton served the Knoxville community from 1982 through 1997.
"Today, one of the most well-loved men that ever served the Knoxville Fire Department passed away. Chief Bruce Cureton (1982-97) Thank you for your service to the citizens of Knoxville! You will be missed by many," the fire department said on social media.
“He was all about the citizens of Knoxville," said Assistant Fire Chief Mark Wilbanks. "It was always important to him that our number one job was to serve the taxpayers in Knoxville, the very best we possibly could.”
Ever since 1875, there have been 17 different fire chiefs in Knoxville. Cureton was the 11th person to serve as the fire chief. He served under former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe as well as Kyle Copenhaver Testerman and Randall Tyree.
“He kind of brought us into the next century," says Assistant Fire Chief Mark Wilbanks. "He bought a lot of new fire apparatus and he helped modernize our new radio system.”