North Royalton City Council approved three new hires for the North Royalton Police and Fire Departments at their January 15 meeting. Two of the new recruits are for the Fire Department and one new hire for the Police Department.
The two new members of the North Royalton Fire Department are Yaroslav Yavorski and Isaac R. Siman. Both started with the Fire Department, effective January 7. Both were sworn in on Friday, January 4. They will be replacing Ken Valvoda, who retired in June, 2018 and Greg Kasmir, who will be retiring this spring.
Yaroslav Yavorski is a graduate of Strongsville High School and received an Associate degree from Cuyahoga Community College for Applied Science in Fire/EMS. He received the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Paramedic License in 2017 and the Ohio Department of Public Safety Firefighter2 in 2017. He worked in Brunswick Hills as Firefighter/Paramedic since 2017.
Isaac R. Siman is a graduate of Cloverleaf High School and holds certification from the State of Ohio for Paramedic, Firefighter 1. He worked as a Paramedic for Current Life Care Ambulance since 2014 and as an EMS Lieutenant for Chatham Township since 2011.
North Royalton Fire Chief, Bob Chegan, said that the two will work a 40 hour week for about eight weeks. They will be on probation for two years and tested frequently in the first two months, a mandatory program where they will be in training. He noted that the program was recently enhanced by J.D. Ridgeway, who took six months to put the very structured program together. “He did a very nice job,” said Chegan. He noted that along with the two new recruits, the department will be receiving a new squad in March.
The newest member of the North Royalton Police Department is Alexandra V. Bell. She started with the Police Department effective January 7. She was also sworn in on Friday, January 4.
Bell is a graduate of the Airport High School, and received a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Park University. She then received a Master’s Degree from the University of Cincinnati in Criminal Justice. Bell was a member of the Cleveland Division of Police, as a Police Officer from 2017 to 2018. She will be replacing Patrolman Mark Fyock, who retired last September.
Two other notable retirements are James Szakacs, who retired as a Police Reserve Officer on December 20. He maintained that position since March 5, 2004.
Virginia Grayson will be retiring at the end of this month. Grayson has served the North Royalton Police Department since June, 1987, where she started as a secretary in the Detective Bureau. She then was promoted to Administrative Secretary. She also participated in Stranger Danger and Safety Town until 1994. Linda Paluscsak, who served as a Clerk in the Police Department, will replace Grayson.

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer