Two new firefighters added to Medina force

MEDINA — The ranks of the Medina Fire Department have grown to about 50 members after the addition of two new firefighters last Friday. Medina Mayor Dennis Hanwell swore in new members Angie Morgan, the lone female member of the department, and Noah Milleman. The department covers the city, Medina Township and Montville Township. Morgan, who resides in Granger Township, is a graduate of the Medina County Career Center's Public Safety Program and Highland High School. She spent three years in the fire explorer program and is trained in combat medicine in the Army National Guard. Milleman, also a graduate of the career center's Public Safety Program and Brunswick High School, is a Medina resident and works as an EMT with Lifecare Ambulance in Elyria. After the retirement of Medina Fire Chief Bob Painter on Dec. 26, Hanwell will be the acting fire chief until he names a replacement. Four finalists have been established for the position that will pay between $81,493 and $95,077 a year, according to the Medina Civil Service Commission. The two in-house candidates are Operations Capt. Steve Ingersol and Capt. Larry Walters. The two outside candidates are Sharon Township Fire Chief Rob Haas and Twinsburg Fire Department Capt. and Shift Commander Gina DeVito-Staub. The four finalists will take their written test Jan. 6, and go through an assessment center with the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association on Jan. 16. The mayor is scheduled to receive the results from the fire chiefs by Feb. 8. The Civil Service Commission will certify the top three candidates. Those three will be interviewed by the mayor the week of Feb. 15. He has 30 days to make a decision after the list is certified. Contact reporter Bob Finnan at (330) 721-4049 or rfinnan@medina-gazette.com.