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Sandy Journal

Sandy Fire Swears in One Promoted, Three New Fire Fighters

Aug 03, 2016 10:02AM ● By Julie Slama

New hires Braydon Cannon, Carlos Lopez and Jared Thomas taking their oath to become firefighter/EMTs on June 28, 2016. Back: Council members Linda Martinez Saville, left, and Steve Fairbanks, right. —Chris Larson

By Julie Slama | [email protected]


Sandy, Utah - Sandy City Fire Department swore in four firefighters—one promoted, three new-hires—at the June 29 City Council meeting, giving them with their silver fireman’s badges.

The department hired Braydon Cannon, Carlos Lopez and Jared Thomas as “firefighter/EMTs.” The department also swore in recently promoted Michael Bullock to the position of “engineer/paramedic” as well.

“These are three great fire fighters,” Cline said at the swearing in. “We hope to get 30 years of hard work out of them and I hope that when I come back in 15 years that they will still be great firefighters.”

The swearing in ceremony fulfills the process of replacing four firefighters that recently retired or resigned, bringing the Sandy City combat firefighter force back up to 68-strong.

The new firefighters graduated from academy on June 24. Sandy City Fire Chief Bruce Cline said the 16-week course is “10 hours a day, four days a week of high-impact, intense physical training and academic testing as well.”

Cline said the new hires are already assigned to crews and had their first day of work on June 29.

Bullock’s promotion and associated responsibilities to engineer came in Feb. 2016, but the formality of a swearing ceremony was held off to coincide with new hire swearing in to allow for greater pomp.

The Sandy Fire Department Honor Guard raised the colors in a flag ceremony, in full blue formal attire and ceremonial fireman’s axes at attention.

Bullock had his retired Sandy assistant police chief father Ron Bullock presented him with his badge. Bullock was hired by the city and worked his way to the position over the course of his career, Cline said.

As an engineer, it is Bullock’s responsibility to drive the truck to and pump the water at emergency fire calls. He will also stand in as a captain when a captain isn’t present, according to Cline.

“We are so very proud of our son,” Maria Lopez, Carlos Lopez’s mother, said. Maria presented her son with his badge.

Thomas and Cannon had their badges presented to them by their wives. Bailey Cannon and VaLyssa Thomas both presented their husband’s badges.

Jared Thomas was a volunteer firefighter in Springfield, Oregon for seven years before Sandy City hired him. He and his wife moved to the area for the job.

“It’s taken me seven years for me to get here,” Thomas said.

Each Sandy City Fire Crew has 22 men on the roster, allowing for three fire crews to rotate through duties.

Cline said that EMTs only present basic life saving skills to the force and that all firefighters have EMT skills and certification. He also said that only a certain number of positions allow for firefighters to be paramedics, a position that requires greater education on life saving like allowing the administration of certain drugs and advanced techniques.

“I wouldn’t be surprised of some of these (new hires) at some point in their careers become paramedics for Sandy fire,” Cline said.