Purdue University appoints Brad Anderson as new fire chief
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — On Wednesday, leaders from the Purdue University community gathered to witness the transfer of leadership from Kevin Ply to Brad Anderson, who was sworn in as Purdue University Fire Department’s newest fire chief.
Ply served as the fire chief of Purdue University’s Fire Department for almost 15 years, but earlier this month, the university announced that he would be retiring by the end of the year.
When looking for who could replace Ply, Jay Wasson, vice president and chief public safety officer, already knew the perfect man for the job.
Prior to Ply’s retirement, Anderson was serving as the assistant chief of the PUFD and has held several different positions since he initially started his career at PUFD in 2006.
Outgoing Purdue University president Mitch Daniels spoke at the change of guard ceremony.
“If I didn’t know any better, I think Purdue was cleaning house,” joked Daniels.
Daniels praised the work and community that Ply was able to cultivate during his time as chief.
“You’re in one of those lines of work where people tend not to notice until something goes wrong. I’ve had a couple of those jobs myself. But I want you to know that I noticed and many of us do. We notice the accidents that don’t happen, the crimes that aren’t committed. We notice the harm that does not occur day after day after day in what amounts to a city of 60,000 people at Purdue,” said Daniels.
“I just thought looking ahead to today how right it is, that a lifelong local citizen is being followed by another. It’s just absolutely the way that Purdue would want it.”
Before officially handing over the department to Anderson, Ply shared a few words with those who had gathered.
“I’m blessed. I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to work at Purdue University and I really wouldn’t have chosen any other place. The people, the place, and you know, for 33 years I’ve been able to watch Purdue University grow.
“I’ve seen the very best of Purdue, the success of Purdue and unfortunately, I’ve seen a few times things we didn’t want to see, but fortunately, those are few and far between. But again, I was blessed to be able to come here and serve as a firefighter, as a fire officer, all the way up to a fire chief.”
Ply continued to share stories with the audience, reflecting on his time serving Purdue, that was until he acknowledged that he had exceeded his allotted time to speak.
Ply then welcomed Anderson and his family to the front of the room and proceeded with the ceremonial officer’s oath.
Anderson stood in front of Wasson, holding one hand up, as he recited the oath.
Afterwards, Anderson’s family took a moment to celebrate the achievement before adding several new pins to his jacket which signified Anderson as the new Fire Chief.
“I often say that you are a product of your life’s experiences," Anderson said. "I believe that those experiences both positively and negatively define who we are and prepare us for the challenges ahead. Many of you here today have been beside me as I’ve had those experiences and I cannot thank you enough for your support.
“I’m excited for this new opportunity and I’m committed to ensuring we remain poised to provide the highest quality of service to the Purdue community. Working with each other to achieve our goals and always being prepared for the challenges before us.”
Before ending his speech, Anderson spoke directly to the men and women who serve the community and thanked them for their services.
“Each of you plays a vital role in the success of this organization, you’re the most important asset and I thank you for everything that you do. I ask for your patience and flexibility and dedication moving forward and always remember the reasoning for choosing a career in public safety.”
Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter at 1NoePadilla
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue University appoints Brad Anderson as new Fire Chief
