ST. JOHN – For one member of the Lake County District One Fire Academy, Friday’s graduation marked an ending. For the 17 graduates, it’s the start of realizing their dreams come true.
"It’s very bittersweet,” said Dyer Fire Chief Joe Martin, who is stepping down after eight years and 204 students as academy lead instructor. “Now I’m in charge of an entire department, but there’s something about making a positive impact on that next generation. You always want to leave people better than you found them. We want to make them better people.”
Class valedictorian Lindsay Kusbel, of Lake Hills, said: “It’s an honor to be able to graduate with these 16 individuals at my side. I would not be here without them. We pushed each other. Our instructors put in a lot of time and dedication.”
The 17 graduates started six months ago from a field of 32. Between classroom work and practicum, they logged 399 hours at the St. John training site and the Multi-Agency Academic Cooperative in Valparaiso. With graduation, they earn Firefighter 2 status, the highest designation in the state, and received 18 certifications.
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Throughout this training process, representatives of area fire departments watched candidates’ progress. “Basically, we’ve been going through an interview process the last five-and-a-half months,” said Mitch Pieniazek of Dyer.
“This is something I always wanted to do,” Pieniazek, 31, an ex-Marine, added. “I wanted to show my nieces and nephews how to chase what you want to do.”
Brian King of Munster, the Jack Eskridge Leadership Award recipient, is following his father John, a retiree of the Harvey, Illinois, firefighters after 35 years of service.
“This is a big milestone in my life,” said the younger King, “going through the same things my father did.”
“I’m proud of him,” John King said of his son, offering this advice: “Safety first. Keep low when you go into a fire.”
As Martin noted, “There are legacies here and people who are going to make legacies.”
Among those legacies is Zack Cory, who will become the seventh member of his family to join the Hammond Fire Department. That includes his father and grandfather, a former chief.
“This means a lot, because I get to share it with my classmates and family as well,” Cory said.
“It’s in the blood,” noted Wayne Duncanson, Cory’s grandfather, who served Hammond 40 years, 14 as fire chief. “He’s a very compassionate fellow and he wants to help people.”
Hammond Fire Capt. Jake Cory, a 22-year veteran, said of son Zack, “He’s worked hard. I’ve loved every minute of (firefighting), and he’s seen how much I enjoy it.”
State Rep. Mike Andrade, a member of the Indiana House Public Safety Committee, praised the newest firefighters for their “drive, desire, passion, and hours,” encouraging them to be engaged in their communities.
“This is just the beginning,” Martin told graduates. “Work hard.”