Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Promotions and a new hiring have been announced by the Warsaw Fire Department.
The retirement in August of assistant chief Lee Hartle led to openings within the department. Larry Baker was named to fill Hartle's position, and Baker's vacated captain spot was filled by Ed Kipker. Mark Howard is the new lieutenant, replacing Kipker. Once all the promotions were made, there was an unfilled slot for a firefighter. That gap was closed by Dave Vercauteren.
Vercauteren left a job in the private sector and comes to the WFD after serving five years as a volunteer with the Winona Lake Fire Department. He holds Class I and Class II firefighter certification, as well as being trained as an emergency medical technician.
A resident of Warsaw since 1991, Vercauteren moved here from Appleton, Wis. He is a 1990 graduate of Taylor University with a bachelor's degree in business.
Vercauteren and his wife, Sue, have two daughters: Nicole, 4, and Alexis, 2. He begins his duties with the WFD on Sunday.
Howard is a nine-year veteran of the Warsaw Fire Department and also served three years as a volunteer with Henry Township Fire Department.
He is a First Class firefighter and has a master's in fire investigation. Howard is a past president of Squad 70, Kosciusko County's fire investigation team.
Howard and his wife, Deydra, have three children: Ashley, 8; Melissa, 6; and Zachary, 1 month.
Kipker has been with the WFD since 1981 and is state certified as a First Class firefighter, Second Class firefighter, strategy and tactics master firefighter and fire investigator master firefighter. He is involved with the juvenile firesetters' program and is a member of Squad 70.
Kipker has a daughter, Lynzy, 15, and his fiance, Tylynna, has two children: Austin, 13, and Nichole, 12.
Baker joined the Warsaw Fire Department in 1978 and also has served as lieutenant, captain, training officer, Haz-Mat coordinator and hiring board chairman.
Also, Baker is state certified as both a First and Second Class firefighter and holds master certification for investigations, instructor, tactics, hazardous materials and motor sports (extrication and rescue from racing vehicles).
