A third generation of one Warrick County family has now joined the Newburgh FD

NEWBURGH, Ind. – The Newburgh Fire Department has created multiple generations of firefighters within one family.

And the Marx family is no stranger to the time and commitment it takes for these roles.

"It's a family business," said NFD Captain Courtney Marx.

The Marxes got their start in the field with Courtney's father, Charlie Marx. He served in the department from 1964 to 1974 before stepping down to become the Newburgh police chief.

Charlie, 80, was one of the first divers for the department, which allowed him to do a lot of the training for other departments in the community. He returned in 1996, when Courtney showed interest in becoming a cadet, before retiring in 2015. He was a captain at the end of his stint.

Courtney served his first round with the department until 2007 before moving to Indianapolis for a few years. He returned in 2015 and has been here ever since.

Now the family is welcoming another family member to he field.

Cydney, 18, is Courtney's daughter. She always knew she wanted to follow in her father's steps, similar to how Courtney followed his.

She became a cadet in October 2020 during her sophomore year at Castle High School. Now, since she graduated and was voted in, she is a probationary firefighter – becoming the first woman in her family to do so.

"I think my passion came from watching and hearing my grandfather and dad's stories of the runs and ... just watching that rush of getting ready and leaving. (It) kind of inspired me to want to continue it and help out my community," she said.

It's a volunteer fire department. And while it may come with a small stipend, it's more about being able to help those in need.

"I do it because I want to give back to the community," said Courtney. "I want to take and be there for when my neighbors are in need because I would ask the same thing of them if it was my life, my house, or my kids."

Becoming a firefighter

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 53% of national active firefighting personnel are volunteers. In Indiana, about 73% are volunteers.

Teenagers aged 14 to 18 interested in this field are able to join the cadet program during their high school years, like Cydney did. Like many programs, they have to maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA.

During that time, cadets' duties range from assisting with firefighter rehab, rehabbing machinery needed for runs, and community events.

They learn pretty much the same thing as the full-time officers. As captain of training, Courtney wants to make sure that they're on the same level for their future work in the field.

Some of their training includes learning how to climb through a small space with fallen electric wires, moving through or around other restricted spaces, or even learning how to properly wash the department's firetrucks.

During the probationary period, there are certain rules and regulations they must follow before they're allowed to do certain runs. Through the end of November, Cydney attended classes and meetings twice a week on top of training.

Cydney was in the process of learning emergency medical response: the first step before she starts taking classes at Ivy Tech for paramedic science.

Other pieces of training she and other "probies" must take include Fire 1 and 2, where you learn about fire equipment usage and fire behavior, hazmat awareness operations focusing on spills, and other basic things needed for training.

It's a family business

Like many public service careers, this one can take family members away from important events and moments in their private lives. So a balance is needed.

"Sometimes growing up in it, I just got used to it," said Courtney. "I tried to keep them involved as much as possible – bringing them down here when I needed to do stuff so I could spend time with them."

His two girls and his wife would be there to wash the trucks, teach the kids how to use the hose, work on training projects or even play victims in training exercises.

Courtney said that was a good way to last longer in the field and create an escape from home life, as this can cause a lot of stress for both the officer and family.

While firefighting is stressful for the firefighters themselves, it's also worrisome for the family members who have to watch them go. But the prize is worth it.

"Watching him come home at the end of the day after and knowing he was safe was the biggest relief," Cydney said. "But also being down here (at the station) or watching him come back and get off the truck- It's like my dad's a hero and he saved people's lives."

Much of this is what led her to follow in the family's footsteps.

When they're not helping their community, Cydney is busy attending college classes and working with her family at their commercial cleaning business Kleen Aid Cleaning Services. Courtney runs the company with his wife, Crystal, who teaches band at Castle.

Many volunteers get burnt out within five years because of the time commitment with runs, training, business meetings, and much more. But the Marx family is happy to have dedicated almost 60 years of service to the community.

"To have three generations is rare, but sometimes you're fortunate," Courtney said.

Passing the test

Cyndey and her seven cadet mates completed all of their classes and training around Nov. 20.

All of them are currently certified in Firefighter I/II, Emergency Medical Response, and Hazardous Materials Operation and Awareness, which ensures they have advanced knowledge of safety functions and operating as part of a team.

Not too long after their final training, the new cadets had their first run as certified firefighters on Dec. 11 with a mobile home fire.

"It was a little different: not overwhelming, but super exciting," she said. "I had a few mess-ups, but I learned through it."

She's starting her emergency medical technician and paramedic training. She hopes to gain as many new experiences as she can with her career.

Even as her trainer and knowing the extensive training she has, Courtney still worries about his daughter like any parent would.

But now that Cydney is a part of the team, both strive to continue the legacy of Courtney's father, Charlie who passed away in October.

He left behind a family that remember shim for his sense of community that's been passed on to the whole family.

"We're serving our community," Courtney said. "And that's what my father would want."

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: For one Warrick County family, firefighting is a tradition