YFD promotes eight

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The city fire depart ment resolved a backlog of lieutenant vacancies Wednesday. The department promoted seven firefighters to lieutenant and one from lieutenant to captain in a ceremony at Central Fire Station downtown.

Promoted to lieutenant were Chris Vass, Andre Miller, Anthony Ciccone, Robert Class, Ryan Ott, Mike Stryffeler and William Palma. Promoted to captain was April Edwards.

Mayor John A. McNally issued the oaths of office for all eight.

Fire Chief John O’Neill said there were so many vacancies because the list from the last civil-service test for lieutenant expired, and it took some time to schedule a new test. The new test was given in May.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been this far behind,” O’Neill said.

Besides being a supervisor, the lieutenant often drives the firetruck, O’Neill said. He said there are now enough lieutenants to staff all city fire stations for all three turns. He said juggling the schedule allowed for enough lieutenants to be on duty most of the time.

“This’ll actually give us quite a bit of relief,” O’Neill said.

The chief said the department is now staffed at 130 firefighters, its limit. He said no more firefighters will be hired this year unless someone retires.