By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Bucyrus’s newest firefighter may be looking forward getting to know his new crew but it’s Alexa Young who may have the town wrapped around her little finger soon.
The sixteen-month-old toddler was all smiles and laughter as she tottered around Council Chambers of Bucyrus City Hall before the swearing in of her firefighter father, Brett Young, Tuesday evening. Young, a Galion High School and Kent State graduate, returned to Crawford County to continue his work as a firefighter for the Bucyrus Police Department.
Alexa, in the arms of her mother Sarah Young, happily clapped along with the crowd of family members and firefighters after Young was officially sworn in by Mayor Roger Moore.
Young received his certification to become an EMT in 2010 and became a firefighter in 2011. A year later, he became a medic. He will be filling the vacancy left by Mike Hassinger, who retired in January.
“If this would have happened before November,” said Fire Chief Jay Keller, “we don’t know that this would have happened. November we passed a levy, a permanent levy for our safety forces so we can keep our staff where it’s at, which is what we wanted.”
Keller credited the citizens, Council and administration for all of the hard work put in to pass the levy in order for the Fire Department to continue to maintain its staff.
“As our chief did say, you’re standing here only because the levy passed in November and it’s for the safety forces of Bucyrus, Ohio so we can maintain that level in the Fire Department. We congratulation you for our long service from you and only good things to happen in the future,” Moore said to Young. “Welcome to our community.”
“I’d just like to thank all of my family, friends for coming out. I know some of us drove a pretty long way. I’m just excited to begin my career and kind of make a statement of myself and hopefully move down here soon,” said Young.
The Young’s come to Bucyrus from Sebring, Ohio. They are expecting another girl in June.