First two women firefighters among 5 welcomed to Northville Township FD
Northivlle Township Fire Chief Brent Siegel (third from left) is pictured with the fire department’s five new firefighters.
Northville Township Fire Department welcomed five new firefighters Monday, including the first two women to wear the uniform full time.
Township Clerk Cynthia L. Jankowski administered the oath of office to Robert Casamatta, Jeremy Dochenetz, Lacey Marcotte, Jacqueline Przytulski and Aidan Gawura in front of friends and family.
They will provide the highest level of fire, rescue and emergency medical services to the community. Each firefighter has several years of experience and is also a paramedic. All have interesting backgrounds and specialties.
One is a former U.S. Marine who took U.S. Army Flight School training and is a UH- 60 Blackhawk medevac pilot. Another leverages translation technologies to treat a global patient population.
Unique fortes
One recruit is an ice water rescue instructor, while another specializes in rope rescues. Rounding out the team is a logistic specialist.
“These historic additions build on a tradition of excellence which have made Northville Township a destination for professional first responders seeking a career rather than just a job,” said Fire Chief Brent Siegel.
In 2022, the Fire Department welcomed its largest class of firefighter recruits in a decade with seven firefighters/paramedics joining the municipality. With these five additions, it brings the head count to 38, which matches staffing with incident volume.
Fire calls for service have increased by nearly 49% since 2012 with the Township’s population growth, which is just under 32,000 residents. The Fire Department responded to more than 3,500 incidents in 2022.
“This is a significant day for the Northville Township Fire Department,” said Township Supervisor Mark J. Abbo. “Northville Township has a lot to offer, and we were able to recruit top candidates once again. We could not be more excited
to attract this talent and we are thrilled to make history by adding two female firefighters to our Department.”
History-makers
More than 20 years ago, before Northville Township Fire was a career department, it had a paid on-call female firefighter. Marcotte and Przytulski are looking forward to making history by being the first full-time female firefighters on
staff.
Northville Township’s newest recruits, their hometown and their former employer, are:
• Robert Casamatta, Fowlerville (formerly Garden City Fire Department)
• Jeremy Dochenetz, Livonia (formerly Canton Township Fire Department)
• Lacey Marcotte, Belleville (formerly Wayne County Airport Authority)
• Jacqueline Przytulski, Dearborn (formerly Wayne County Airport Authority)
• Aidan Gawura, Pinckney (formerly Bloomfield Township Fire Department)
Handles multiple emergencies
Northville Township Fire Department is an all-hazard emergency response department. It handles fire suppression, emergency medical service (EMS) and the following rescues: motor vehicle accidents, open water and ice rescues, hostile incidents (i.e., active shooter), technical rescue (high-angle, collapse, trench, rope, etc.) and hazardous materials mitigation.
It provides Advanced Life Support and prides itself on its cardiac arrest survival rates, which are three times greater than elsewhere in the state and nation.
“This badge represents the trust that our community places in you,” Chief Siegel told the candidates before taking the oath of office.
“It signifies the faith they have in your abilities to respond to emergencies, to provide comfort in times of crisis, and to be a beacon of hope when all seems lost. It also represents the dedication and sacrifice you are willing to make for the greater good. Welcome to Northville Township.”
Thank you to Northville Township Communications Director Rene Wisely for contributing this article to SocialHouseNews.com.
