Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose, right, gives Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory firefighter Brandon Schmitt the ceremonial oath of office Friday during the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — Firefighting runs so deep in Brandon Schmitt’s blood that he rejoined the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory in 2023 after a hiatus.

At the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety meeting on Friday, Schmitt, 47, took his ceremonial oath of office, having completed his one-year probationary period.

Schmitt became a volunteer firefighter with the WWFT in 1997. He started serving full time in 2001, leaving in 2017 and then returning in 2023.

In February 2019, he joined the fire territory board, serving on there until he returned to firefighting.

“It’s just in my blood,” Schmitt said before the ceremony. “When I joined in ’97, it was kind of an ‘I think I can do this.’ My dad (Paul Schmitt) was a police officer and I didn’t want to be a police officer, but I thought I could do this.”

He said he has a love for the job.

“I loved being a volunteer, I loved it even more when they paid me to do it. But, it’s just been in my blood,” he said.

Even while not serving as a firefighter, Schmitt said he enjoyed serving on the fire territory board.

“I was sorry to vacate my position on the territory board, but I was super excited to come back and do this again. It’s been an honor, really. It’s humbling to be hired again as an old guy,” he stated.

His wife, Angie, and one of his four children joined him for the oath of office ceremony Friday at City Hall, as well as Fire Chief Brian Mayo and many of the firefighters from the department. Angie pinned his badge on his uniform as part of the ceremony.