It is an honor to introduce of each of the 7 new MFD recruits sworn in with Mayor Wood at the Boar of Public Works and Safety meeting today, 11/05/2024:
Kolton Fairchild– Kolton is from Culver, IN where he currently serves as a volunteer with their local fire department. Kolton is becoming a career firefighter following a career he has had working as a pipefitter for a fire suppression sprinkler company. He comes to us with certifications in Firefighter 1 & 2 and Hazardous Materials Operations.
Hogan Geier– Hogan is a hometown kid that graduated from Mishawaka High School and is excited to join his brother, Preston, as a member of the Mishawaka Fire Department. While working full time at a local restaurant, he completed Academy with Clay Fire Territory earning certifications as an EMT, Firefighter 1 & 2, and Hazardous Materials Operations.
Ezekiel Jones– Ezekiel is coming into the fire service after working full time as a technician in a local hospital. Originally from the state of Florida, Ezekiel is looking forward to becoming a certified firefighter and couldn’t be happier be working towards his dream of becoming a paramedic. He has recently completed an EMT course and is scheduled to take his National Registry Certification Exam.
Braxton Lentz– Braxton graduated from Riley High School in South Bend. Braxton has always looked up to his Grandfather who was a South Bend Firefighter and is excited to make the career his own. He comes to us with experience in construction and customer service.
Jacob Lowman– Jacob graduated locally from New Prairie High School and knew he wanted to be a Paramedic. He chased that dream and obtained his Paramedic License through Ivy Tech in South Bend. While in class Jacob did a significant amount of clinical time on our ambulances here at Mishawaka Fire. The men and women he rode with left a great impression and he knew this is the place where he wanted to work when the opportunity presented itself.
Gabriel Thom– Originally from Indianapolis with a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, Gabriel Thom is new to the Fire Service but is not new to Public Safety. He comes to our department after serving for several years as a police officer at a local department. While on calls serving alongside the fire department, he grew an interest in the work being done and felt he would like to change career paths. He had a friend who highly recommended Mishawaka.
Patrick Wheetley– Patrick is from Southwest Michigan. He is currently in the National Guard and has past experience as a volunteer firefighter in his local community. Professionally he has worked as a driver for a semi-truck company while pursuing his ideal career as a professional firefighter.
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