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The new chief took his oath in front of a packed meeting room, as his wife Jenny pinned on his new badge during the emotional ceremony, that included a standing ovation for Kujawa.
Gaul was also saluted for his decades of distinguished service, as he took the time to thank the trustees and the community, but also welcome the man who will replace him. The outgoing chief noted that family
“As anyone who is associated with the fire service understands, your family and loved ones know all of the trials and tribulations you go through,” Gaul said.
Kujawa has served the department for 27 years, including the last three years as deputy chief in charge of operations.
“The good thing is that I’m an internal candidate so I know how the department runs on a day-to-day basis so I could implement changes a little quicker than an external candidate would be able to,” he said.
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Kujawa said he is eager to evaluate what needs to be improved.
“I still want to get with my team, evaluate how we’ve done things in the past and determine if we need to improve them or build upon them for the future,” he said.
Township Administrator Jessie Lightle said Kujawa’s experience and expertise will help lead the department moving forward after Gaul’s retirement.
“Scott has daily experience overseeing every aspect of our fire department — from fire suppression and emergency medical response to fire prevention, equipment and facilities,” Lightle said. “In his role with accreditation, he has reviewed all of these areas so that they align with nationally recognized standards.”
During Monday’s meeting, Battalion Chiefs Ian Emmons and Nick Bergman were sworn in as deputy chiefs. Township employees received service awards for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service.
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