To close out its centennial year, the Dyer Fire Department held a special ceremony Monday to honor both new and long-serving firefighters.
Before the entire fire department, firefighter families and town of Dyer officials, Fire Chief Thad Stutler recognized four Dyer firefighters who recently surpassed 10 years of service with a commemorative pin.
"Serving the community for more than 10 years is a major accomplishment and says a lot about who these four men are," Chief Stutler said. "Nationally, the number of volunteer firefighters is declining. Balancing careers, family and the rigors of being an on-call, all-hazards firefighter takes dedication. These men have served our community well, and I'm proud to have them as firefighting brothers."
The ceremony also marked the passage of seven probationary firefighters who earned the rank of firefighter. Each received a leather shield with their unique firefighter number to place on the front of their firefighting helmets.
"After more than a year of training and responding to calls, these cadets have proven their worth and commitment to serving the people of Dyer," Chief Stutler said. "It's fitting that we close the book on our 100th year of service to Dyer by recognizing those who helped get us here and those who will carry us into the next chapter of our history."
The four firefighters who earned their 10-year pin are:
Mark Golec
Mike Opperman
Ray Troup
Nick Vesci
The seven firefighters who have been promoted from probationary firefighters are:
Jake Faso
Brandon Manno
Jordan Moran
Chase Sartori
Ben Stutler
Matt Stutler
Colin Zackavec
About the Dyer Fire Department
The Dyer Fire Department was organized in 1915. It now responds to about 1,300 fire, medical, rescue and other calls for emergency assistance per year. It protects more than 16,000 residents over a 15-square-mile area with approximately 30 firefighters operating out of two fire stations. Visit DFD’s website at www.townofdyer.com. You can also like us on Facebook.