The Monarch Fire Protection District has approved promotions of three employees to replace command level officers who were recently fired.

At its Feb. 2 meeting, the district's Board of Directors approved promoting John Borgmann to assistant chief and both Nick Harper and Robin Echele to deputy chief.

Borgmann was hired as a firefighter in 1981. He was promoted to captain in 1988 and to battalion chief in 2006. He'll be in charge of operations.

Harper was hired as a firefighter in 1979. He became a paramedic in 1991 and was promoted to captain in 2000. Harper will be in charge of emergency medical services.

Echele was hired as a firefighter/paramedic in 1990. He was promoted to captain in 2000 and to training officer in 2001. Echele will be in charge of training and special rescue services.

The district fired Assistant Chief Les Crews, Deputy Chief Cary Spiegel and Battalion Chief Michael Davis on Nov. 19 along with battalion chief Fred Goodson, who committed suicide in December.

Crews, Spiegel and Davis filed a lawsuit in December against the district claiming the firings were politically motivated.

The firings were in response to a Nov. 15 appellate court ruling denying an appeal of a discrimination suit won by two of four female firefighter/paramedics, who filed a lawsuit in 2007. Their lawsuit claimed the district's command-level officers created a hostile work environment for them.