May 03--Six years after he took the firefighter test with thousands of other hopeful applicants at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Mark Kos got word last fall that he was in: the Minneapolis Fire Department wanted to hire him, along with eight others from the testing class of 2006.
Not only had the small group beaten out all the others, they outlasted a five-year delay in hiring brought on by the recession.
On Friday, at the Fire Museum on 22nd Av. N.E., Kos and the others gratefully accepted their new jobs in a formal ceremony with Fire Chief John Fruetel.
At 52, Kos could be the oldest firefighter ever hired by the Minneapolis Fire Department. A boulder of a man who looks like he could push down locked doors one-handed, Kos has spent two decades working with students at Marcy Open School in Minneapolis.
Chief Fruetel said Kos is typical of this class, which is a bit older than most. Many of them are also bringing experiences from other successful careers that they left to become firefighters.
Considering the years that have passed since the new hires -- all men -- were first interviewed by the department, Chief Fruetel looked relieved Friday to finally be adding fresh blood to the ranks: "It's exciting as hell," he said.
Matt McKinney --612-673-7329
Copyright 2013 - Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
