Today, Mayor Pete Land swore in seven new Crown Point Fire Rescue firefighters during the Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting — the most in the department’s history.
The new firefighters include Brett Wisenbaugh; Ben Rosenfeldt; David Graham; Jackie Osborne; Jason Kooyenga; Joseph Bonk; and Meghan Mulroe.
Wisenbaugh, badge No. 73, was born and raised in Michigan City and has 10 years of experience in EMS. He has worked as a part-time paramedic with Crown Point Fire Rescue since 2021. Wisenbaugh is assigned to Turn 2 under the direction of Battalion Chief Tim Tully.
Rosenfeldt, badge No. 76, was born in Munster and raised in Gulf Shores, Alabama. He began his career in EMS and fire in 2012. He currently is serving his seventh year with the U.S. Army National Guard, where he will continue to serve. Rosenfeldt is assigned to Turn 1 under the direction of Battalion Chief Scott Abraham.
Graham, badge No. 75, grew up in St. John. Previously, he served as a volunteer firefighter with the Town of St. John Fire Department. He is currently a paramedic student at Franciscan Health and will be a paramedic by the beginning of 2024. Graham is assigned to Turn 2 under the direction of Battalion Chief Tim Tully.
Osborne, badge No. 79, was a volunteer firefighter for nearly three years before joining Crown Point Fire Rescue. She started her career as an EMT at St. Mary’s Emergency Room and is currently enrolled in their paramedic academy. Osborne is assigned to Turn 1 under the direction of Battalion Chief Scott Abraham.
Kooyenga, badge No. 77, lives in Crown Point and received his fire and EMT certifications through Prairie State College in Illinois. He is assigned to Turn 3 under the direction of Battalion Chief Joe Ferrantella.
Bonk, badge No. 78, was born in Beecher, Illinois, and grew up in Dyer. He previously served with the Dyer Fire Department and is an EMT school and District 1 Career Academy in graduate. Bonk is assigned to Turn 3 under the direction of Battalion Chief Joe Ferrantella.
Mulroe, badge No. 74, is a Crown Point native who has served for the last two years as a volunteer firefighter and EMT with Crown Point Fire Rescue. Mulroe is assigned to Turn 2 under the direction of, Battalion Chief Tim Tully.
The historic swearing-in ceremony comes as Crown Point Fire Rescue received a $2.26 million Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in late 2022.
The grant does not require a match from the City and fully funds the salary and benefits for seven new firefighters for three years. The City will fund the salaries beginning in 2026. The City of Crown Point was the only municipality in Northwest Indiana to receive the grant in 2022.
The grant has increased Crown Point Fire Rescue’s staffing from 14 to 16 people per shift.
“It was only seven months ago we were notified that our department was one of the very few selected to receive the federal Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant,” Crown Point Fire Chief Mark Baumgardner Jr. said. “The pursuit of this grant began seven years ago under retired Fire Chief Greg DeLor and former Mayor David Uran. Thank you to Mayor Pete Land, Chief of Staff Anthony Schlueter, the Board of Public Works and Safety and the City Council for always giving our department the support we need to provide the best service to our citizens during their worst times.”
Appropriately dubbed the Safer 7, the men and women sworn in Wednesday represent the best of the best, Baumgardner said, noting there were nearly 200 applicants for the seven positions.
“It’s not just certifications and experience — it is their moral character. How they were raised. How they treat people,” Baumgardner said. “We can train just about anyone to become firefighters and paramedics. It is much harder to teach people to be kind, respectful and engaged. All of these firefighters you see before you have met and exceeded our expectations.”
Mayor Land said the swearing-in ceremony was a historic day for not only Crown Point Fire Rescue, but the City of Crown Point as a whole, and thanked FEMA and the Office of Congressman Frank J. Mrvan for their support.
“As the City of Crown Point continues to welcome new residents, we want to ensure our public safety sector is staffed with the best and brightest,” Land said. “I am very protective of Crown Point and its residents, and the firefighters you see today will help protect our most valuable asset in the City: You and your family. We couldn’t ask for a better group of men and women to join our Crown Point family.”
The new firefighters have begun training and will be on shift beginning this Sunday, April 23.