Parents, Kids Pull Out of OH Fire Cadets Program

June 20, 2019
The resignations from the Mad River Township Fire and EMS cadet program are part of the fallout over the department's hiring practices, which led to firefighter walkouts.

Mad River Twp. and Enon families are pulling out of the Mad River Twp. Fire and EMS department’s cadet program.

Those families say problems at the top of the chain have trickled down to affect the young cadets who were just beginning to learn the ropes of the job.

Alison Jordan’s son, 15-year-old Steven Jordan submitted a resignation letter after the men who were mentors to him in the cadet program walked away from the department as part of a mass resignation last month.

Her son joined the cadets two years ago after his dad died.

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In his resignation letter, Steven writes, ‘My mom told me I had two choices. I could rise above the hardship and pain or let it destroy me. I decided to look into the cadet program at the fire house.”

Alison said her son not only found a career he was passionate about, but he also gained a surrogate father in former Lt. Mike Gardone, one of the cadet advisers.

“He never looked back. It was the best thing ever. His grades soared,” she said. “He found confidence, hope. It was a brand new Steven.”

Last month, at least a dozen Mad River Twp. employees left their jobs after an independent consultant hired by the township did not recommend firing the fire department’s fire chief, Tim Wendling, Assistant Fire Chief, Jackie Ashworth and Capt. Kurt Werner.

It was alleged that the three knew about sexual misconduct allegations about former Mad River Twp. firefighter Steve Schaefer before he was hired.

Those allegations involved a former co-worker of Schaefer’s at Bethel Twp. Fire and EMS.

Schaefer was eventually fired from his job at Mad River, but he was never charged with a crime.

An independent consultant hired by Mad River Twp. did not recommend dismissing fire leadership. An investigation found some evidence that department leaders were aware of Schaefer’s past, but all three passed lie detector tests when they claimed they did not know.

Jessica Thornton’s daughter, Abby, was also in the cadet program as a way to spend time with her dad.

Nick Thornton was one of the firefighters who left the department, and it was then that Jessica pulled her daughter of the program.

“I just didn’t feel comfortable with her being there anymore,” she said. “We have to show them to stand up for what’s right and I think this has been a good example.”

Jessica said her daughter was one of seven cadets at the time when she was in the program.

Mad River Twp. trustee Kathy Estep said on Wednesday the program is still continuing, and there are four cadets enrolled.

Estep said Chief Wendling has taken over the responsibility of overseeing the program, as well as other advisers from the department.

Cadets not only learn the basics of firefighting and medical service in the cadet program, but also teamwork and responsibility.

Estep said since the mass resignation, the department has been working to make several changes including to hiring practices, checks on department policies and payroll, better communication and mandatory sexual harassment and hostile work environment training.

The department has hired 16 people since the resignations, and Estep said that number includes some people who have returned to the department.

Estep said from May 21 to June 12, the department went on 130 runs, in which the average time from dispatch to arrival on scene was 7 minutes and 8 seconds.

“I want to assure the public that our runs are being covered,” she said.

The department is hoping to rebuild the cadet program.

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