On-the-go chief slows down

As reported in Sunday's paper, Fire Chief Peter Bryan is retiring.

Bryan is perhaps the most affable and press-friendly person in City Hall. He might even be the most affable, press-friendly person I've ever met. Sometimes I wonder how someone so darn nice can be another person's boss.

Councilman and former Fire Chief Dennis Michael was the one who hired Bryan. Michael called Bryan the "hardest working fire personnel" he's ever known. He said he would get to work at 7 or 8 a.m. and his inbox would already be filled with Bryan's e-mails sent at 2 or 3 a.m. So Bryan is nice and doesn't need sleep. Is Bryan a superhero?

I caught up with the chief after his coffee break today to talk about the Hellman Station and found out his secret. Bryan, who works out at the gym every day, is fueled by coffee in the a.m. and Monster energy drinks in the p.m. He's human after all, a very caffeinated human.

Will his successor, Deputy Fire Chief Mike Bell be just as affable and press-friendly, I wonder. Bell's father was a journalist, an indication that Bell will either be press-friendly or will run away from the press.