Greenwich FD Swears in 2 New Recruits

Two recruits who have served their upstate Connecticut hometowns as volunteer firemen were sworn in Tuesday as the newest members of the .

The ceremony also included the swearing in of James McDonald as the department's fire marshal.

Lisa Constantino, 24, of Oxford, and Michael Jedd, 25, were sworn in as firefighters by First Selectman Peter Tesei, who's also the town's fire commissioner. "There were more than 500 applicants ... they are the cream of the crop," said Fire Chief Peter Siecenski.

Constantino, a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a degree in applied science, has volunteered for 4 years with the Oxford Fire Department where her certifications include pump operator and aerial ladder operations. Constantino said her volunteer work made her "realize that this is my passion and it's an opportunity to give back to the community.

Constantino becomes the second woman in the Greenwich Fire Department ranks.

Constantino has worked in the automotive and restaurant industries and as an equine assistant. She also is a fitness buff who competed in last spring's Tough Mudder Challenge in Vermont. "Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie," according to toughmudder.com.

Jedd has been a volunteer firefighter with the Watertown Fire Department for 7 years, and the manager of the Kalenauskas Farm in Watertown where he managed the care of hundreds of animals. He earned a bachelor's degree in fire science and administration from the University of New Haven.

Jedd, who obtained the rank of Eagle Scout, said he looks forward to serving the town and called his hiring as "the best opportunity I could get" for a firefighting career.

Both Constantino and Jedd now head to the Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks where they will complete a 14-week training course before returning to the Greenwich Fire Department for additional training and their assignments.

Assistant Greenwich Fire Chief Robert Kick the new hires brings the department's line personnel to the authorized strength of 97 firefighters.

The ceremony, attended by more than 50 members of the department, also included the swearing in of James McDonald as the department's chief fire marshal.

McDonald is a 25-year department veteran having been assigned to the Fire Marshal Division for the last 12 years. For the last 4 years he has been a deputy fire marshal. He is a 2000 graduate of the Connecticut Bureau of State Fire Marshal Certification Program. He is a Greenwich resident.

McDonald succeeds Fire Marshal Joseph Benoit who retired Feb. 1 following a in the town's 17 public schools were not conducted and some schools did not have proper fire suppression systems, which school officials said potentially compromised school safety.