ROCHELLE — On Thursday, Jan. 23, the Rochelle Fire Department held a promotion and oath of office ceremony at Luna to commemorate a recent department expansion and establishment of the rank of captain. 

Promotions on Jan. 23 included Jason Underwood, Zach Prewett and Jeremy Good being named captains after previously serving as lieutenants, and Ben Johnson, Josh Lewis and Tyler Carls being named new lieutenants. New firefighter hires sworn in Thursday were Jacob Kass and Bailey Flemming.

“Tonight marks a magnificent change in our fire department,” Mayor John Bearrows said at the event. “I know how dedicated each and every one of you are. You've seen many tough ambulance and rescue calls that take a long time to get over. You do it for the love of helping people in your community. The increase in shift size and the addition of the role of captain to each shift is a major safety factor. I want to thank our city council and city manager for their support of these changes.”

Due to rising call numbers in recent years, RFD recently underwent an expansion that saw six total new firefighters hired. The newest three firefighters will be funded by a $919,368 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant RFD recently received. Amid the expansion, RFD also established a new model that established the rank of captain, with the department seeking to have more safety during fire incidents and leadership during busier EMS operations. Each shift will now include a captain, a lieutenant and four firefighters.

A recent National Fire Protection Association study found that when firefighters get into a mayday situation in a fire, 71 percent of the time it's because the supervisor stayed outside of the structure. The new model will guarantee RFD will have personnel to supervise fires from outside and someone to supervise firefighters inside. 

City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh and RFD Chief Dave Sawlsville spoke at the event as well. Fiegenschuh said the changes were worked on for over two years and work included collective bargaining, meetings, and gathering data.

“We concluded with the approval of a new leadership model that better fits the needs of today's service delivery model,” Fiegenschuh said. “I want to congratulate those being promoted to captain. Your journey to this leadership role is a testament to your professionalism, determination and ability to inspire those around you. As captains, you're stepping into a role that is not only about command, but about mentorship and strategic vision. The chief and I are confident in your abilities to guide the next generation of firefighters and to strengthen the foundation of this department.”

The city manager congratulated the firefighters that were promoted to lieutenant and welcomed Flemming and Kass. He also thanked Sawlsville for his work on the changes, and the mayor and city council for their support of the changes.

“For those promoted tonight, your new titles come with great responsibility, but also the power to inspire, innovate and lead,” Fiegenschuh said. “You are not just shaping the present, but paving the way for the future of this department. Congratulations and let's continue to work together to make the department stronger, more resilient and even more capable of serving those who rely on us.”

Sawlsville called the evening “a historic event” for RFD and its personnel. To allow for all those involved with RFD to participate in the event, the RFD station was covered by the Oregon Fire Protection District and the Lynn-Scott-Rock Fire Protection District during it. 

The RFD chief said the process that culminated in the promotion event was a long one that took a lot of hours, conversations and cooperation. Sawlsville thanked Fiegenschuh and the mayor and city council for their “steadfast support” that allows for new ideas. He also thanked the city’s police & fire board members and the city human resources and finance departments. 

While speaking to a room filled with the entire RFD family, Sawlsville chose to thank those with and without badges. 

“Finally, I want to thank the wives, significant others and family members of our firefighters we're promoting,” Sawlsville said. “We know you send them to us for 24 hours and what you get back isn't always great. They're tired, stressed and sleep-deprived. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. I want to congratulate our honorees and say thank you again to all. Please keep these firefighters in your thoughts. For some of them the road is just beginning. For some of them the journey to more responsibility and leadership is just beginning. Please continue to support them and from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support.”