Staff photo / Hailey Rogenski ... Newly sworn-in firefighter-paramedics pose for a photo with Eagle Joint Fire District Chief Ron Stanish (center) at the Eagle Joint Fire District. Those posing for the photo after the ceremony are (left to right) Vincent McClimans, Michael Wright, Jason Miller, fire Chief Ron Stanish, Jeremy Gless, Joey Milano and Jared Vinkler.

HUBBARD — The Eagle Joint Fire District board of trustees swore in its first full-time firefighter / paramedics Wednesday.

Those sworn in are Jason Miller, Vincent McClimans, Joey Milano, Michael Wright, Jared Vinkler and Jeremy Gless. The six employees were chosen out of nine applicants.

Eagle Joint Fire District fire Chief Ron Stanish began full-time in April, making him the first official full-time employee before the six new hires. The department switched to full-time in February.

Stanish said he chose the six applicants based on personality and experience and added that their swearing-in was a “very historic moment for Hubbard.”

“It’s quite an honor and I’m very appreciative to have them here,” he said. “It’s a fine group of men we assembled and I’m very much looking forward to working with them all.”

He said adding the full-time employees ensures fire staff are always present when the community is in need.

“It’s very calming to know that there’s always going to be somebody there in a time of need,” he said. “(It) takes a lot of stress off the people that live in the community (and those) that are a member of the fire department because when shifts go uncovered, or there’s nobody here, we rely on people off duty to come in and answer calls. So, that (addition) takes a lot of stress off everybody.”

Rick Hernandez, chair of the Eagle Joint Fire District board of trustees, said he is happy to see the department getting full-time fire staff.

“I’ve been here six years and to actually see it come to fruition (is exciting),” he said. “We went from, in the past, a volunteer fire department with very limited access to manpower showing up to a part-time service several years ago, bringing the consulting firm in here and moving forward now to this full-time service with added ambulances. I’m honored to be Chairman of the board of this Eagle Joint Fire District.”

Hernandez also said he thinks the Eagle Joint Fire District will be “a model for other communities too that are struggling with the ambulance, with firefighting and I really believe this is going to be something that they’re going to be looking at and try to model after.”

Stanish said “It’s a struggle across the nation” for fire departments trying to fill positions.

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