Eric Dyrlund serves the fire program coordinator at Stark State College in Jackson Township. He was first an instructor and then a lead instructor before becoming the program coordinator in 2024.
Dyrlund, 56, grew up in North Canton and now lives in Bolivar. He and his wife Traci have a daughter, Lexi, who is a student at Stark State and an intern at the Hall of Fame Village. The family also includes a dog, Smalls.
After graduating from Hoover High School, he went on to earn associate degrees in emergency medical services and technical studies in public service from Stark State.
“I became a paramedic in 1990 and a firefighter in 1993 and was hired by the Canton Fire Department in 1994,” he said. “I was promoted to captain in 2013 and serve on both the Stark County Hazmat Team and the Stark County TROT Team. I began teaching at Stark State in 2010, became a lead instructor in 2021, and took on the role of fire program coordinator.”
Stark County TROT is a technical rescue operations team that is a specialized rescue unit consisting of trained firefighters and medics from various county departments.
Have there been more or fewer people training to be firefighters over the past several years?
It seems like we’ve seen an increase in the number of people entering firefighter training programs over the past few years. It used to be extremely competitive to get hired by a fire department, but now many departments are actively looking for candidates.
That’s made the chances of getting hired much better than before. I also think that after years of emphasis on four-year degrees, people are rediscovering the value of skilled trades and public safety careers.
Why did you want to work with Stark State’s program?
I went through the Stark State fire program myself in 1993 and had a great experience.
The program has always had a strong reputation because of its outstanding instructors, and I always wanted to come back and be part of that team.
Share a few career highlights.
I’m especially proud to be part of the instructor group we have at Stark State. They are truly what make this program successful.
Like most firefighters, my career has had both highs and lows. I’ve been honored with recognitions such as Firefighter of the Year and acknowledgments from the department and city council.
At the same time, there have been difficult moments, including the loss of a close friend and fellow crew member. Firefighters often encounter people on the worst days of their lives and that can take a toll over time.
What are your most effective ways to deal with workplace stress?
I try to stay active. Working out, traveling and hiking with my family are all important outlets for me. I also enjoy getting out for the occasional round of golf.
If you had the chance to go to outer space in a space shuttle, would you go or not?
I would absolutely go. I enjoy traveling, and that would be the ultimate trip.
Editor’s note: Five questions with … is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you’d like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Meet Eric Dyrlund. He helps train new firefighters
Reporting by Patricia Faulhaber, Special to the Canton Repository / The Repository
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