SHELBY — Samuel Sauder said he did not have a clue what he wanted to do with his life after graduating from Lucas High School in 1993.
He decided to attend college, but quickly realized he didn’t want to waste money without having a career path in mind. Sauder said a couple of friends encouraged him to explore becoming a firefighter.
“It was my career path that I didn’t know existed,” Sauder said Friday morning after being sworn in as chief of the Shelby Fire Department and EMS.
The 50-year-old began his firefighting journey as a volunteer firefighter in Monroe Township. Next, he served a short, part-time stint with the Madison Township Fire Department before arriving in Shelby in June 1999.
Sauder has served at the Shelby Fire Department ever since. He was promoted to captain in May 2022.
“I am humbled and honored to have been chosen as the next fire chief of the City of Shelby — a department and community I deeply respect and care about,” Sauder said during a ceremony Friday morning.
“We have a talented group of firefighters, each with their own skillset, and I’m excited to let them utilize those skills as we move forward.”
One of Sauder’s top priorities moving forward is to increase staffing levels at the department, which would also help reduce the amount of overtime firefighters are currently working, he said.
“I’m a big advocate for family health and mental health. If we can get some guys hired (in the near future), that’s kind of one of the first priorities I have,” Sauder said.
Sauder is ‘highly capable,’ says Shelby mayor
Schag spoke highly of Sauder on Friday morning in front of the new chief’s family, friends and fellow fire officials.
“Capt. Sauder joined this department some 27 years ago and has served as a captain for the past three years,” the mayor said. “He is experienced, knowledgeable, compassionate and highly capable.”
Over the course of his career, Sauder has earned the respect of his fellow firefighters and members of other city departments, Schag said while specifying the new chief’s keen interest in the well-being of his peers.
“I am confident he will continue to uphold the highest standards of emergency services our community has come to know and deserves. I look forward to working with him and our captains as they look for ways to make our fire department even better than it already is,” the mayor said.
Derrick Wallace echoed similar sentiments. Wallace is taking over the role as president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2492, a role Sauder served until his recent promotion.
Below are more photos from Friday morning’s ceremony at the Shelby Fire Department. (Credit: Hayden Gray) The story continues below.
Leadership transition
Schag thanked everyone involved with the leadership transition process Friday morning.
“I want to publicly express my appreciation to acting Chief Brian Finnegan, Capt. Randy Washburn, and Capt. Sauder for their collaborative leadership of this department since former Chief Mike Thompson stepped back into a teaching role in August of this year,” the mayor said.
“You three have done a commendable job. I’m sure Mr. Finnegan will be more than happy this morning to officially hand the reins over to soon-to-be Chief Sauder,” Schag said at the beginning of his speech.
Thompson announced his decision to leave the fire station and return to the classroom back in July. He now leads Pioneer Career and Technology Center’s new first responder program.
Finnegan was sworn in as acting fire chief by Schag on July 30. He officially filled the role at midnight on Aug. 13.
Washburn was the second candidate who applied for the chief’s position. Schag previously said both Sauder and Washburn represent “the very best” of the department.
“It is widely recognized that Captain Randall Washburn is a truly outstanding and dedicated professional in this field, and his continued leadership will be pivotal as we enter into a period of exciting transition,” the mayor said in a press release Oct. 3.
