Fairview hires another soon-to-be-laid-off Newburgh firefighter

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TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – The Fairview Fire District has continued to take advantage of the City of Newburgh’s woes while strengthening their commitment to public safety.

On Thursday evening the Fairview Commissioners, led by Chairman Andrew Calamari, convened to hire three more career firefighters, including Terrell Baity, a Newburgh firefighter slated to lose his job as a result of Newburgh’s budget cuts.

Fairview Fire Department Chief, Chris Maeder expressed his thanks to the board of commissioners for their proactive response in recent hirings.  When the City of Newburgh announced that several firefighters would be laid off as a result of budgetary shortfalls, many surrounding departments saw an opportunity, including Fairview. 

“Firefighters in the City of Newburgh are some of the best.  Under the direction of Chief Terry Ahlers, Newburgh’s firefighters have become the benchmark for area departments,” said Maeder.  “When Newburgh announced that they were gutting both the police and fire departments due to budgetary woes, fire departments throughout the region saw an opportunity to add talent,” said Maeder.  “We have a proactive department of career firefighters, supplemented by dedicated volunteers that make our department very reliable,” added Calamari as he justified the new hirings.

“Hiring professional firefighters that have truly been ‘tried by fire’ is a benefit to both the department and our taxpayers,” said Maeder.

Newest Fairview firefighters Lawlor, Baity, and Devens

  

Matt Cobb, a professional firefighter with Fairview and President of IAFF Local 2623 praised Baity’s hiring.  “Our firefighters are consummate professionals.  In the past few weeks, our commissioners have hired two battle-hardened firefighters from Newburgh. Hiring Levi Miles and Terrell Baiity from Newburgh show that our commissioners understand the importance of having professional firefighters.  Bringing seasoned volunteers Jake Lawlor and Ryan Devens on board is an added bonus,” said Cobb.

Ahlers, acting chief in Newburgh’s department, praised his departing firefighter, Baity, saying “Terrell has been with us for about a year and is a highly motivated firefighter that is poised to have a very successful career in the fire service.”  Ahlers, well respected in the fire service, gained additional notoriety by announcing his premature retirement in an effort to save the Newburgh job of at least one of his underlings.  That sacrifice has garnered praise from firefighters across the nation.

Jake Lawlor and Ryan Devens joined the paid ranks on Thursday evening, being adopted as career firefighters after making several sacrifices as volunteers for Fairview.

Lawlor is following a family tradition, driven by his mother, Melissa Lawlor.  Melissa has spent “at least half of my life” in the EMS and fire services. While downplaying her accomplishments, including being named EMS “Educator of the Year” in Dutchess in 2019. Lawlor maintained that the ceremony was all about her son, Devens, and Baity.  Her son Jake gets chided about his mom’s notoriety in emergency services, further embellished by Melissa’s recent election as Pleasant Valley Fire District commissioner.  

Newly minted firefighter Lawlor has served as a volunteer with Fairview for two years, rising to the rank of EMS Lieutenant.  

Watching her son receive his badge caused his mom to shed a few tears. “To watch your son passionately pursue a career that has become his life calling fills me with great joy. He comes from a strong family legacy of community service; he is the 3rd generation to serve his community in fire and EMS. I am so incredibly proud to have my son join the Fairview FD family as a career firefighter/EMT. “

Ryan Devens has served as a volunteer firefighter/EMT with Fairview since the spring of 2019 according to Calamari.  Chairman Calamari boasted about Devens, noting that he had earned the rank of Eagle Scout through Boy Scouts of America Troop 17 and is the fifth employee of the department to have achieved the coveted rank.

Baity arrived at Fairview as the result of the City of Newburgh’s budget woes.  The department in Orange County recently announced the layoffs of numerous police and fire personnel, taking effect in January of 2020.  Baity has been with Newburgh for just about one year.  According to fellow Newburgh firefighter and Local 589 President Brendon Hogan, Baity is a disciplined firefighter that will be missed in Newburgh.  Calamari boasted that Baity is an Army veteran that also works as a part-time police officer in the Hudson Valley.  Baity is a family man with a wife and two children.

Baity is scheduled to start with Fairview on January 3 while Lawlor and Devens are slated to begin their careers on January 27.




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