By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – Three new Chelsea Fire and Rescue staff members were recognized in a badge pinning ceremony at the Chelsea City Council meeting on April 5.

Full-time staff members Andrew White and Andrew Shears, and part-time member Zack Lee, started as volunteers and have completed the training required to be firefighters with the city’s fire department.

“The three of them have the best servant’s heart and personality,” Fire Chief Wayne Shirley. “I think they’re going to be a great asset. All three are good, quality young men.”

Shirley pinned White’s badge on, Shears’ wife, Brittney, pinned his badge and Lee’s father, Joe Lee, who is a firefighter paramedic with Chelsea Fire and Rescue, pinned his badge on.

Joe has been in the fire service for more than 20 years and also works with the Bessemer Fire Department.

“This is the first opportunity in our department I’ve had father and son on paid staff at the same time,” Shirley said. “Zack is not full-time yet, but I believe he will be one day.”

Shirley read the Firefighter Code of Conduct aloud before the pinning.

Other family members were present for the ceremony.

White, Shear and Lee are Chelsea residents.

“They’re from our community,” Shirley said. “They truly have a servant’s heart.”

In other fire department news, Shirley said his employees participated in an Airborne Law Enforcement Association mutual aid drill with employees from different fire departments this month.

Transport statistics reveal Chelsea Fire and Rescue’s call volume increased from 104 in 2015 to 109 in 2016 from January to March, in part because of two new medical facilities, Grandview Medical Center and Brookwood FED.

Shirley said the department is in the process of repainting all of the city’s fire hydrant covers to “Chelsea blue.”

“We repaint them every two to three years to keep them looking good,” he said. “It’s a good way to distinguish our coverage area as well.”