HUBBARD — Six new full-time firefighter / paramedics were hired as some of the first full-time employees at the Eagle Joint Fire District, following the fire chief.

Fire Chief Ron Stanish started full time in April. The department switched to a full-time department in February.

Rounding out the new hire roster are Jason Miller, Vincent McClimans, Joey Milano, Michael Wright, Jared Vinkler and Jeremy Gless.

A full-time staff will mean someone is always present at the department when a call comes in, Stanish said.

“It ensures there’s going to be a minimum of two people here around the clock,” he said. “It’s hard to staff people on the weekends, especially in the summertime when it’s nice and people want to go do things.”

Miller, who has been employed at the district part-time since 2021, works as a safety inspector and an EMS instructor and has volunteered at various fire departments since age 16.

“I’d say working it (fire service) part time made me fall in love with the community, so when the position became available I knew I had to apply for it because of how much I love the community,” Miller said. “I would hope to benefit (the department) by bringing my skills and knowledge to benefit Hubbard and my passion for this job here. It’s what I love to do.”

Miller said his favorite thing about being a firefighter paramedic is “getting to help people in their time of need.”

McClimans said he has worked part-time in fire service for four years, spending that time with Hiram Village Fire Department and Garrettsville Community EMS District.

He said he is “very honored and excited to pursue this career.”

“I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter since I was a kid,” McClimans said. “I always wanted to pursue a career as a full-time firefighter paramedic. It means a lot. I don’t really know how to put that into words.”

Milano, formerly a part-time employee at the district, has been in the field for seven years.

He also works full time at the Brookfield Fire Department.

Milano said he originally joined Hubbard’s Fire Department “to supplement income.” However, he’s looking forward to building a strong team with the fire district.

“It feels really good that I’m able to help Chief Stanish make this department what it deserves to be,” he said.

MICHAEL WRIGHT

Wright has worked as a firefighter paramedic for Liberty Fire Department, a nurse at St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital and is a part-time captain at the Springfield Fire Rescue Division. He has been in the field for 18 years.

He said it is an honor to be among the first full-time employees at the district.

“I look forward to a long career there,” Wright said. “I had a lot of mutual aid encounters with them in the past and they seemed like a good department. From the outside looking in, it seems they have a very progressive fire board in terms of making sure the needs of the community are met.”

Contact information for all of the new hires was not available. Vinkler and Gless were unable to be reached for comment.

The new firefighters will be sworn in 5 p.m. Wednesday at the department.

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