MANSFIELD ─ Two men within the Mansfield Fire Department were promoted Thursday morning.
Lori Cope, Mansfield safety service director, swore in Lt. Robert Garn as a captain. Firefighter Todd Toussant was sworn in as a lieutenant.
Garn, who has worked at the agency for 21 years, said he enjoys the camaraderie and the work environment in Mansfield. He does the quality assurance for all EMS reports at the department.
“I just enjoy helping people in the city,” he said when asked about the feeling of getting promoted.
The captain said he got into fire service because his family has been involved in it since he was young. That is why he decided to join the local fire department of Jeromesville in Ashland, where he is from, after getting out from the Navy.
“And then it just evolved from there,” Garn said.
Toussant said he loves to work at Mansfield Fire Department because it is busy and he can get a lot of experiences. Growing up in Akron-Canton area, he said he has been with the department for more than six and a half years.
His mother, Andrea Roudabush, pinned the badge to his shirt on Thursday when his father, Nick Toussant, was busy taking pictures.
As a lieutenant, Toussant said he will supervise one of the stations and ensure the safety of his colleagues.
“Just take care of your guys,” he said.
Just like Garn, Toussant joined the fire service because of his family. He said he grew up watching his uncle and two cousins working as firefighters and has decided to do the same job since he was a little child.
