LYNCHBURG, Va. – Sixteen new firefighters will begin their assigned shifts in Lynchburg Wednesday.
The recruits, sworn in during Monday’s graduation ceremony, join about 190 uniformed employees – but we’re told the department still faces five uniformed vacancies.
The graduates spent 28 weeks of training and had different reasons of becoming a first responder.
“The impact that the breast cancer had on my wife, and how the paramedics and the personnel of the Lynchburg fire department helped us; I wanted to pay that forward to help someone else,” said Brian Reusser, one of the new graduates.
“We want to retain folks that are public servants, that have a servant’s heart, that want to go out and assist the public in times of need,” said Deputy Chief Jonathan Wright.
The department pleaded with city council last year for a pay increase.
The proposal is currently in this year’s budget, but the exact amount must be finalized by a council vote.