Bruce E. Herber
Fire Cheif
Biography
Chief Bruce E. Heberer has been a career member of the City of Johnstown Fire Department since 1987 and a member of the Berkshire Fire District since 1986.
As a member of the Johnstown Fire Department, he has risen through the ranks and was promoted to captain in 1994, assistant chief in 2002, and chief of the department in 2006. During his tenure, Heberer also served as the department municipal training officer from 1998-2006.
Heberer previously served in the U.S. Navy as a damage control man from 1982-1986. He has also held many offices in the Berkshire Fire District, ranging from lieutenant to assistant chief, and he is currently a line captain and chairman of the board of fire commissioners.
Heberer has served as a deputy emergency management officer/fire coordinator for Fulton County since 1996 and as a New York state fire instructor assigned to Fulton County since 1990. He is an adjunct to the New York State Academy of Fire Science and is a primary instructor with the New York State Career Recruit Firefighter Training Program.
Heberer also is a New York state certified police officer and has served as a part-time road patrol deputy with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office since 1989. He has been a member of NYSAFC since 1988 and was appointed to the board of directors in September 2016. Heberer is active with the Career Fire Chiefs of New York State and is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Code Council, National Fire Protection Association, and International Association of Arson Investigators.
The fire service is in his blood, and Bruce is following in his father’s footsteps. Edward Heberer is a retired member of the Johnstown Fire Department, where he served actively from 1964-1996 and was chief of the department from 1983-1996. Ed also served on the NYSAFC board of directors and as association president from 1995-1996. Bruce’s brother, Mike, is a retired assistant chief with the Johnstown Fire Department. Bruce resides in Johnstown with his wife of 29 years, Laura, and their two sons, Joshua and Eric.