Battalion Chief Drew Cramer to succeed John Bacon as North Canton fire chief
NORTH CANTON − The city announced late this week that City Fire Battalion Chief Drew Cramer will succeed retiring John Bacon as the city's new fire chief, effective Feb. 12.
“I look forward to serving the community and working with all the dedicated members of the department as we move forward. I have learned a lot from Chief Bacon and value the knowledge and friendship he has provided me over the past 21 years of working together. I wish him well during his retirement,” Cramer said in a statement issued Friday by the city.
City Administrator Patrick DeOrio said he appointed Cramer, the city's only battalion chief, as fire chief Friday. Mayor Stephan Wilder, who could have vetoed the appointment, concurred with DeOrio's choice.
“We’d had a great working relationship prior to Mr. Cramer being the battalion chief," DeOrio said Saturday. "He was the president of the collective bargaining [unit] for the fire and EMS. We had a great relationship between management and labor on how to make the department the most efficient and effective as possible."
'A natural leader'
Cramer was among four fire chief candidates, all whom were employed by the North Canton Fire Department. To become eligible candidates, the applicants had to achieve a passing score on a city Civil Service Commission exam held last fall, with the possibility of additional credit for military service, accredited education hours and service time.
DeOrio then interviewed all four candidates in January.
DeOrio said he interviewed Cramer Wednesday. Cramer confirmed he is on the same page with the administration when it comes to transitioning the fire department to an entirely full-time service from a mostly part-time firefighting force, and the construction of a new fire station by 2027, DeOrio said.
One of Cramer's initial projects will be to convert office space in the fire department's Station 1 on North Main Street to additional sleeping quarters for firefighters. Amid limited space, it's a makeshift solution until the fire department can move into the new $10 million station to be constructed on North Main Street and Viking Street NW.
More: North Canton officials unveil more details about new fire station
The administrator said he and the mayor in 2021 persuaded City Council to create the position of battalion chief who could serve as the fire department's leader in the absence of the fire chief. It gave the city a succession plan for Bacon's expected retirement.
When DeOrio appointed Cramer in 2021 as the battalion chief, Cramer, who had been a fire captain the preceding five years, became a leading candidate to become the city's next fire chief.
"He was a natural leader to be chosen as the battalion chief. He's proven himself as the battalion chief in exercising a leadership role in its transition to a full-time department," DeOrio said.
DeOrio said he told the three other candidates that he would also consider them for the battalion chief position to be vacated by Cramer. DeOrio expects to appoint a new battalion chief by the end of March. At some point this year, DeOrio will ask council to change the title of the position to assistant fire chief.
The three other candidates were John Kleinbeck, a firefighter and paramedic who's the president of the North Canton Professional Firefighter and Paramedic Association, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3489; City Fire Capt. Brad Dillon; and Bryant Scheffler, a firefighter and North Canton's fire inspector.
Chief Bacon to retire
Bacon is retiring after working for the fire department for nearly 45 years.
DeOrio said Bacon will "be sorely missed. He doesn't get enough credit for what he had to do."
The administrator credited Bacon for overseeing the city's fire department's transition over decades from an all-volunteer force to its current force with full-time and part-time firefighters and paramedics.
The statement said Cramer, a Louisville High School graduate and married father of five, started with the city's fire department as a part-time firefighter and emergency medical technician in August 2002. He transitioned to full time in January 2006. Cramer has lived in North Canton for a combined 18 years.
The city said Cramer has been certified as a fire inspector, fire officer, incident safety officer and health safety officer. He has been trained on emergency response to an active shooter situation through the ALICE Institute. And he has completed training courses run by the Federal Aviation Administration, The American Heart Association, the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Cramer will be sworn in at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 12 before City Council at the North Canton Civic Center.
Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. X formerly Twitter: @rwangREP.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Drew Cramer to succeed John Bacon as North Canton fire chief
