Two Rock Community Fire Protection District firefighters recently were promoted to the rank of captain.
A badge-pinning ceremony was held June 26 at House 5 in Arnold for Jason Goebel and Chuck Venegoni.
“One of the goals we have had for the district over the last several years is to really elevate the level of competition moving from firefighter to captain,” Rock Fire Chief Kevin Wingbermuehle said. “We look for several different aspects for their capabilities and abilities in the field when we go through the testing. When we do these processes, they are difficult decisions.
“These two gentlemen deserve these positions because through the process you have to maintain an elevated consistency to come out on top, and they both did that.”
Wingbermuehle said Goebel is filling a captain position that has been vacant since Al McClain died on Jan. 2. He said Venegoni is replacing Capt. Steve Orr, who will retire later this year.
Wingbermuehle said Rock Fire has 60 firefighters, and he plans to hire three new firefighters soon to fill spots that will open up because of other upcoming retirements.
He said the district needs 60 firefighters so it has 20 firefighters on duty every shift.
Both Goebel and Venegoni are being paid an annual salary of $87,833.72 as captains. They were paid $80,778.36 a year as firefighters.
New captains
Along with receiving his captain’s badge, Venegoni also was given his 25-year service award.
Venegoni, 53, of Imperial started working as a Rock firefighter in 1999 after spending the previous year as a volunteer firefighter for the Springdale Fire Protection District before it merged with Shady Valley Fire to form the Saline Valley Fire Protection District.
He also served for more than seven years in the Marine Corps and joined the National Guard in 2011.
Venegoni also has been an acting captain for Rock Fire since 2008, filling in for captains when they are out on vacation or due to injury.
“A lot of great people have come before, and I want to live up to their expectations,” he said of being a full-time captain. “I bring a long list of outside experience being in the military. I hope to foster a tight-knit crew. We want to be the truck that everyone hopes is next in (during a call).”
Goebel, 39, of Fenton began his fire protection career in 2006 in Rolla. He joined Rock Fire in 2013.
“My dad (Jim Goebel) was an inspector here,” he said.
Goebel said it is an honor to be promoted to captain, and he will focus on having an elite crew.
“I hope to have crew integrity and that we are able to perform the job to the best of our abilities,” he said.