'Protect and serve': Four new Mansfield firefighters sworn in
Mansfield fire Chief Dan Crow told four new firefighters what it means to be raising their right hands Monday morning as they prepared to take the oath to become Mansfield firefighters.
"You put your hand up to swear to an oath to protect the lives and property of all the people that step foot in the city of Mansfield, whether it's fighting a fire or going to someone's most critical medical emergency or providing assistance to any other number of calls that you might respond to," Crow said. "You're expected to act swiftly, to act decisively and, probably most importantly, always present yourself with utmost professionalism.
More: Mansfield Fire Department promotes 2
"There's a lot of responsibility there, but luckily you don't have to do it alone. You're joining a team. And as you can see, gathered around us here, we have many members, brave men and women, who all dedicated and have that same personal commitment to service, and our job is help you grow, to support you, to train you ...," he said.
"First and foremost, I just want to offer my gratitude for your decision to join our team," Crow said. "Being a firefighter is a noble and selfless position. It's going to require integrity, courage and a deeply personal commitment to service.
"And it says a lot about your character to accept that challenge and to step forward...," he said.
More: Mansfield fire Chief Dan Crow sworn in
Mansfield Safety-Service Director Keith Porch administered the oath to Caden Boebel, Lawrence Firmi, Logan Haas and Rocky Sword before family, friends and soon-to-be colleagues at the main fire station, 140 E. Third St.
Haas, 20, a 2022 Lexington High School graduate, said he wanted to be a firefighter after getting to know retired firefighter Tom Sneeringer, his neighbor.
Sword, 28, a graduate of Mount Gilead High School and North Central State College, said his wife, Laura, her parents and her uncle each work at Mount Gilead Fire Department in various capacities, leading him to this new career.
Firmi, 20, a 2022 graduate of Clear Fork High School, said his father, Lawrence Firmi, now a staff lieutenant at the Ohio Highway Patrol, persuaded him to become a firefighter.
Boebel, 19, a 2023 graduate of Ontario High School, followed in his now-retired Mansfield firefighter/father Joseph Boebel's footsteps.
He said he, too, wanted to "protect and serve."
Department staffing reached 93 with the new additions.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
X (formerly Twitter):@lwhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Four new Mansfield OH firefighters bring department staffing to 93
