PIQUA – The City of Piqua is proud to announce that John Minton and Nicholas Schmitz have been sworn in as captains of the Piqua Fire Department this week.
The City of Piqua Civil Service Commission confirmed the appointments for John Minton and Nicholas Schmitz at its meeting on Wednesday, December 11. Piqua City Manager Paul Oberdorfer swore in Captain Minton and Captain Schmitz on January 14. Minton and Schmitz are filling the roles vacated by Doug Stewart and Dustin Lacy, who were sworn in as assistant chiefs during the January 14 ceremony.
“I am honored to serve the citizens of Piqua and my fellow firefighters in the capacity as Captain,” said Captain John Minton. “I plan to bring nothing but positive change and leadership into this role.”
Captain John Minton, who started his fire and paramedic career in Trotwood, has been with The City of Piqua since March 2013. Captain Minton leads peer support for the Piqua Fire Department and enjoys being an advocate and trainer for wellness initiatives. He lives in his hometown of Maria Stein with his three children.
“I’m just thrilled to be stepping into this role as we shape a fresh department with many new firefighters,” said Captain Nicholas Schmitz. “As a firefighter, you focus on improving yourself, but as a captain, you have a responsibility to bring the crew up. I’m appreciative of the new training facility as such a great asset, and I’m truly thankful for this opportunity.”
Captain Nicholas Schmitz has been with the City of Piqua for seven years. He came to Piqua from Wapakoneta, where he worked for three years as a firefighter and paramedic. He is the leader of the dive team for the Piqua Fire Department and is passionate about technical rescues, including river rescues and confined space rescues. Captain Schmitz, who shares the hometown of Maria Stein with Captain Minton, now lives in New Bremen with his wife, daughter, and son.
“It is very exciting to see these firefighters step into a leadership role in the department,” City of Piqua Human Resources Director Catherine Bogan said. “They are equipped for the challenges they will face, and they are well-respected within the department and in the community. We have full confidence in them as captains.”