Bourbonnais, IL – Twenty-one years ago, on April 26, 2003, the Bourbonnais community lost Firefighter Bruce Spaulding in a tragic accident while he was on duty at the fire station.
A respected figure in local fire services, Spaulding’s career spanned over two decades, beginning with the Bradley Fire Department and including significant contributions to fire science education at the Kankakee Area Career Center in Bourbonnais. After an early retirement due to an injury, he returned to firefighting with the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District as a paid-on-call member.
Spaulding met his untimely death while mowing the station’s lawn; he was thrown from a riding mower after it struck a retaining wall and succumbed to his injuries later that day at Loyola Medical Center. Spaulding’s dedication to mentoring young firefighters left a lasting impact, remembered fondly by those he taught and served with. Today, his legacy continues to inspire new generations of firefighters in the community.
