Shelby Fire Department Welcomes New 4th-Generation Firefighter
- Jesse Smith
- News
SHELBY, OH - The Shelby Fire Department welcomed a new member on Thursday afternoon with the hiring of Calvin Redden, bringing the department to full staff. Redden, a 4th-generation firefighter, comes with experience from several different backgrounds and looks to be a promising addition to the staff, according to Chief Mike Thompson.
"It was a very tough interviewing process," Thompson said. "We had several very good candidates, so it was really tough. We look at certifications, backgrounds, we're looking at just talking with other people - what they're like to work with - personalities. It's such a myriad of things that we look at and it's not done just solely by me."
The hiring process begins with a committee of other officers and Shelby Mayor Steven L. Schag, where each member contributes to a group decision to hire a potential candidate. The group sorted through various candidates before landing on Redden due to his unique skill set.
"I received my commission and I was full-time with the Ohio State Highway Patrol briefly. Having the law enforcement background on fire gives a different perspective to ways of thinking about things," Redden explained. "It also allows me to, if I were to pursue it, to go down the investigations route. I have that ability now as well. So that's something I plan to continue to use in my career."
Thompson says that while he's unsure how his new crewmate's law enforcement skills can be utilized in his fire career, he believes that it can be helpful after more experience, with possible use in arson investigations. As a fourth-generation firefighter, Redden is already pretty familiar with the job - and hopes to follow in his family's footsteps.
"His great-grandfather, his grandfather, his father, and himself have all been on Plymouth Fire, and I've served with each one of them through the years," Chief Thompson recalled. "As a fourth-generation firefighter, I think he's grown up in the family business and I think he'll be just fine."