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By NATHAN HOWELL | Special to the Reporter

HELENA — As part of the plan to improve the city’s resources and ensure the safety of its citizens, the city of Helena has hired two new fire department employees.

The new employees include JR Spitzer, who will join Helena Fire Department as a fire medic, and Cedric Bernard, who will be the department’s newest firefighter.

Helena Mayor Brian Puckett welcomed the two additions to the department and expressed how their presence would be an added boost to the city’s resources.

“They have been brought in because we know that we are lacking in the human capital and resources area,” Puckett said. “This is part of getting things up to where they need to be for the size of our city.”

Spitzer previously worked with Millbrook as a civil air patrol cadet and joins HFD in the all-important role of fire medic.

In this job, Spitzer will bring knowledge of first-aid and life-saving skills to help those being affected by a fire when a regular paramedic is not yet on the scene of an emergency.

As a full-time hire, Bernard will join HFD and will be a valuable resource in increasing the city’s ability to respond to emergency situations and keep fires and other disasters under control more efficiently.

“Our city is so safe, and we need to continue to make sure it stays safe,” Puckett said. “We are bringing up our resources to match how we are growing, and this is part of that.”