Trustee Brad Calhoun said the fire department went down to 37 due to retirements last year.
“We waited and asked all our departments to hold the line,” Calhoun said. “When we got a better idea of where we were (financially), we gave the go-ahead to begin a search.”
He said Ian Murray and Brandon Gilmore stood out. They began work three weeks ago with the promise to swear them in this month.
Murray, 36, has been a member of the armed forces for close to 19 years. He received his firefighter II and EMT-basic certification from Cuyahoga Community College. Along with wife Ashley, Murray lives in Tallmadge and works part- time for Springfield Township Fire Department.