Third Lt. Rylan Childs, Second Lt. Jacob Rousch, First Lt. Randy Schneider, Capt. Andrew Stephens, Assistant Fire Chief Scott Smith and EMS Captain Karl Griggs are all active in their new positions following recent promotions at the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department. (Submitted photo)

ST. CLAIR–The resignation of Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department’s assistant chief Shayne Hamilton –who recently joined the East Liverpool Fire Dept. –created a vacancy in the chain of command which Fire Chief Dave McCoy remedied with a series of promotions in rank.

McCoy announced six promotions of officers for assistant chief, captain, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, third lieutenant and EMS captain.

Firefighter Scott Smith, who was promoted from captain to assistant chief, has served in a variety of positions within the department including fire chief.

Smith joined the CVFD in 1985 and has been with them for nearly 40 years.

He notes that the promotion really doesn’t change much for him since he went from assistant chief to chief and is now back as assistant chief.

Smith said he has been in an officer spot for the majority of his team with the department and has pretty much done it all.

He also noted that he does not want to go back to being chief as he has already spent five-and-a-half years in that position and that was enough for him. He noted he enjoyed being in that position but worked too many hours for that responsibility.

Firefighter Randy Schneider, who has been with the department for 16 years, has been promoted from second to first lieutenant.

For Schneider, the promotion means a chance for forward advancement, learning more and being able to provide more for fellow firefighters and the community.

Jacob Roush has been promoted from third to second lieutenant.

Roush, who has been with the department for three years after serving for three years with the Liverpool Township Volunteer Fire Department, said the promotion goes with his desire to lead and will allow him to serve the community in a higher capacity.

Rousch said that the promotion will come will more responsibilities, facing more challenges and challenging the aspects of the fire service.

Firefighter Rylan Childs, who also serves as a dispatcher at the East Liverpool Police Department, has been promoted from firefighter to third lieutenant.

Childs has been with the department for three years.

Childs said he enjoys the promotion and is glad that it is an opportunity where he can learn for a career in the service which he is starting to love and means the world to him. He is happy to be there and a journey where he is learning each day.

Firefighter/Paramedic Andrew Stephens, who has been with the department for 12-and-a-half years, has been promoted from first lieutenant to captain.

Stephens noted that no matter what position he holds at the fire station it’s about always trying to do the best he can and pass his knowledge down to the younger/newer firefighters at the station and that no matter what position he holds –will always trying to do the best he can and be a good role model for everyone.

Firefighter/Paramedic Karl Griggs, who has been promoted to EMS captain, has been with the department for two years.

He has been an EMS/paramedic for 34 years and owned his own EMS service, KLG, for 25 years.

McCoy approached him about joining the department because the department wanted to focus on a future with EMS and keep EMS going and that they were able to use his experience to get EMS going at CVFD. This was a challenge for him.

Griggs said he is excited about his new position and is looking forward to making headway with the department trying to go staffed and full-time and plans to make that his big goal.

Griggs also said with his new position he plans to overhaul and audit the whole EMS systems and knowing everything about it from top-to-bottom while making sure the department is complaint with state and local laws.

“We are definitely going to miss Shayne (Hamilton), but with the movements we are not going to miss a beat with the promotions and the people we moved up in position to fill Shayne’s vacancy,” McCoy said.” I am looking forward to working with all of them and they have all already played a role in the fire department’s scheduling and trainings. They are all the top-notch firefighters for sure. I’m real confident with them and we aren’t going to miss a beat, but we are going to miss Shayne.”