When he came on board five months ago, Bridgeport Fire Chief Bob Seccuro found a department that was serving the city well. He said at that time that he wouldn’t be making any immediate changes, but that he would be making some in-depth observations and act as he saw appropriate.

 

“We’ve rewritten some policies to make them a little better streamlined, but for the most part, we haven’t made any drastic changes. Everyone is in the same positions,” he said.

 

“Seccuro credits his department – more specifically, the men behind the firefighter titles.

 

“The firefighters here want to do the job,” he said. “In some areas of the fire service – as with any profession – you have people say they’ll be firemen. They collect a paycheck and have no desire to really embrace the job. I don’t see that here. I see a group of guys who have accepted me very quickly and have shown me that they really want to do the job, do it well and be the best in West Virginia – and we’re trying to make that happen.”

 

There are a number of projects in the works – including the purchase of a new fire truck – a replacement for an older vehicle budgeted prior to Seccuro’s arrival on staff - and the addition of a half million dollar training facility.

 

“The training facility is on track and hopefully will be completed by the end of November,” Seccuro said. “That’s just four months from the time we got the approval.”

 

It was during the July 28 Bridgeport City Council meeting when Council voted to contract with the European company, Draeger, to construct the Type 5 facility of prefabricated panels. That facility will be utilized to provide on-site fire and police training, as well as training for community-based groups like the certified emergency response training, and that it could also be utilized by RESA and WVU, among other educational organizations.

 

Draeger should start delivering the panels during the second week of November and soon thereafter, begin construction.

 

“My guess is by the first week of December, we can start training operations. They will be bringing in instructors from around the U.S.,” Seccuro said.

 

Seccuro is confident that the training center will be an important asset to Bridgeport for more than one reason.

 

“Currently, in order for us to do live fire training, we have to go to the training center in Clarksburg or to Jane Lew to the WVU Center down there and in order to do that, we have to take our equipment out of the city,” Seccuro said. “That would leave nothing here in the city to provide protection to the citizens. By having our own training facility, we can do weekly, monthly and annual training and still be available to run fire and EMS calls and it won’t require any overtime or back staffing.”

 

Bridgeport Fire Department also remains active in community reach out events, including the upcoming Oct. 25 food drive in collaboration with the Bridgeport Lions Club and GFWC Woman’s Club of Bridgeport. Food items collected will be distributed to the community through Shepherd’s Corner.

 

Those types of projects are likewise very important, Seccuro said

 

“It’s not only part of our civic duty, but it’s the mindset of firefighters to help the community and to take care of them,” he said.  “That’s what it’s all about.”

 

Matt Ogden and Ben Tacy are the two newest members of Bridgeport Fire Department. Both are originally from Elkins.

 

A third-generation firefighter, Ogden has been a volunteer for about seven years. This is his first professional post.

 

“Being a career firefighter is something that I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “Bridgeport is a great community and I’m glad they have given me the opportunity to serve the community doing the job I love. There’s not a better feeling in the world than the one you get after helping someone in their time of need.”

Most recently serving the Fairmont Fire Department, Tacy said he feels God designed him to be a firefighter/paramedic.

 

“It’s what I know and what I love,” he said. “I'm blessed for this opportunity and feel at home in Bridgeport.”

 

There is currently an opening in the department, which the city hopes to fill by year’s end. Through Nov. 30, applications for entry level firefighter positions will be accepted by the Bridgeport Fire Civil Service Commission.

 

Candidates must be between 18 and 35 years of age as of the date application is made, must have a high school diploma or GED, must be a citizen of the U.S., must have a valid motor vehicle’s operator’s license, must successfully complete and pass various mandatory examinations, must possess Firefighter 1 & 2 certification, HazMat awareness certification, a current EMT license or higher, and emergency vehicle operations course or equivalent certification.

 

 “Physical exams will be 9 a.m. Sat., Dec. 13 and we’ll set the written examinations in interviews later,” said Jimmy Smith, Assistant City Manager/Director of Human Resources. “The city offers a great benefits package and starting pay for those with paramedic certification is $36,000 a year.”

 

Within the first 12 months of employment, the applicant must obtain certifications in Principle of Extrication, Hazard Materials Operation and driver/pump operator. The starting annual salary is $32,698.83 for an EMT and $36,430.31 for a paramedic.  After successful completion of a six-month probationary period, the salary will increase five percent.

 

Download an application at www.bridgeportwv.com or pick one up at Bridgeport Municipal Building, 515 W. Main Street. For more information, contact Smith at 304-842-8217 or jimsmith@bridgeportwv.com.

 

About Bridgeport Fire Department: The Bridgeport City Fire Department is a combination department utilizing a full-time paid staff of 25 members along with a volunteer division with approximately 10 members housed in two fire stations. The staff is spread across three shifts to meet the needs of the community 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The department is responsible for Fire, EMS, technical rescue, hazardous materials, public education and fire prevention. In 2013, Bridgeport firefighters responded to approximately of 2500 calls for service both in the city and the areas directly surrounding the city that are provided fire protection, as well as the many opportunities to support other local departments as needed. These responses included all fires (structure, vehicle, trash, brush, dumpster, electrical and outdoor), emergency medical calls (ALS - advanced life support, BLS - basic life support, and first responder), auto accidents, technical rescues, special assignments, bomb threats, hazardous materials incidents, aircraft standby and mutual aid calls. All members of the department are duel certified as firefighters and either emergency medical technicians or paramedics.