Bourbonnais, IL – The Bourbonnais Fire Protection District is marking the 23rd anniversary of the line-of-duty death of Firefighter Bruce Spaulding, honoring his service and legacy in Kankakee County today.
According to the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District, Spaulding died on Saturday, April 26, 2003, after being injured earlier that day while on duty. Officials said he was operating a riding lawn mower at the fire station when it struck a retaining wall, throwing him into a nearby ditch where he suffered fatal injuries. He later died at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois.
Spaulding was widely respected in the Bourbonnais community and throughout the region. He served more than two decades with the Bradley Fire Department before retiring due to injury. He later continued his service as a paid-on-call firefighter with the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District.
In addition to his firefighting career, Spaulding played a key role in training future firefighters. He helped launch the Fire/Rescue training program at the Kankakee Area Career Center in 1994 and spent years mentoring students. He also remained active in the Bradley Fire Department’s cadet program.
Fire officials noted that Spaulding’s dedication extended beyond emergency response, with a strong passion for teaching and mentoring young firefighters across Kankakee County.
Today, the district encourages residents to remember Spaulding’s contributions and reflect on the risks first responders face in the line of duty.
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