SHELBY ― Newly sworn-in Shelby Fire Chief Sam Sauder has been with the Shelby Fire Department since 1999, serving most recently as a captain and longtime president of Shelby Local 2492.
Sauder said he started his firefighting career at Lucas Monroe Township Fire Department and worked briefly at Madison Fire Department before joining the Shelby Fire Department.
Oct. 31, before a large crowd of friends, family and colleagues at the Mack Avenue fire station, Sauder was sworn in as fire chief by Shelby Mayor Steve Schag.
Sauder said one of his goals is to hire more firefighters to staff the fire and EMS services for residents of Shelby and Jackson Township.
“We’re short staffed, so one of the first priorities right now is to get our staffing up. We have guys who are just working a ton of overtime,” he said. “They’re willing to do that, but, unfortunately, that is putting a lot of strain on them and strain on their families, and I’m a big advocate for family health, mental health. If we could get some guys hired, I think that will relieve some of that.”
He said he has a great staff.
“And each one has their own skill set,” Sauder said. “I’m just excited to let them use that skill set … We’ve got a lot of growth to do, but everybody, I think, is excited about it.”
Sauder was joined by his wife Angel, who performed the pinning ceremony.
Earlier, the mayor said selecting a new chief was one of the most difficult decisions he has ever made in his long tenure as mayor.
“We were blessed to have two highly qualified and exceptional candidates applying for this position. It is widely recognized that Capt. Randall Washburn is a truly outstanding and dedicated professional in this field, and his continued leadership will be pivotal as we enter into a period of exciting transition,” Schag said earlier. “Both Capt. Sauder and Capt. Washburn represent the very best of the Shelby Fire Department. As longtime members of this department, they have a shared vision to provide the highest level of safety service to our community.”
Former Shelby Fire Chief Mike Thompson retired July 31 after more than 24 years with the department and returned to teaching, his first career.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: New Shelby fire chief sworn in
Reporting by Lou Whitmire, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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