LBFD Hires Three Recruits

Russel Cosban-Stewart, John Innella Jr. and Gregory Kavazanjian were sworn in as paid members of the Long Beach Fire Department on March 3.

City Manager Charles Theofan had the three recruits, all lifelong Long Beach residents, take the oath of office with their families in attendance. 

Council Vice President Mona Goodman, Council member Michael Fagen, LBFD Chief Scott Kemins, Executive Officer of Uniformed Force Lt. Mike Geller, 1^st Assist. Chief Richard Corbett and fellow members of the department were also on hand for the ceremony at City Hall.    

Theofan noted that all three have family ties to members of the LBFD and the New York Fire Department, and that the new recruits are the “best of the best, and will perform magnificently on the job,” he said.

Welcomed the new firefighters to the department, Kemins said: “When you’re on the job, endeavor to treat each and every person like they’re your family – to consider how you would want your mother, father, sister or brother to be treated.” 

The three men will attend the Westchester Career Fire Academy for a 14-week program before they begin their tour of duty in Long Beach. Cosban-Stewart and Innella were hired as EMTs and will earn approximately $41,000 annually; Kavazanjian will earn $39,000 as a firefighter.  

According to the city, two of the new hires replace firefighters who left the department and earned $130,000 annually.