South Haven Area Emergency Services has promoted one of its own to be the new deputy chief and fire marshal. Firefighter and paramedic Keith Bierhalter has been moved up to the new rank. Bierhalter has 37 years’ experience with the department, 12 years as a paid-on call firefighter and 25 years as a fulltime firefighter and paramedic. He was also honored as the department’s Firefighter of the Year for 2010 and 2011. Bierhalter follows the footsteps of his late father, Lieutenant Edward Bierhalter, as a second generation firefighter. He’s been serving as the acting deputy chief since the retirement of Tony Marsala on June 30.
