Two new firefighters were welcomed to the Rye Fire Department in a City Hall ceremony Wednesday afternoon. Both with generational connections to the City, Aidan Ahearn and Thomas Junior were sworn in by new Rye City Clerk Noga Ruttenberg. Both head off this week for training at the fire academy.
There is a tremendous amount of responsibility that is coming with you from this point forward,” said Public Safety Commissioner Mike Kopy, who presided over the ceremony. “You have to serve and protect these residents. I and the community are 100% behind you and all we ask is that you give us 100%.”
Firefighter Aidan Ahearn has lived in Rye for most of his life. He attended Midland Elementary, Rye Middle, and graduated Rye High School in 2020. Ahearn has six siblings and lives with his parents Kelly Somerville and Ian Ahearn. His grandfather Robert Somerville worked for the Rye Police Department from 1977 until 1999, originally as a youth officer and then as a detective. “I’d like to thank my parents and all the people who I will be working with in the future,” said Ahearn after his swearing in.
Firefighter Thomas Junior is a lifelong resident of Rye who attended Midland Elementary, Rye Middle, and also graduated Rye High School in 2020. After graduation, Junior went on to work for Anthony G. Ferry Inc., an electrical contracting company. Junior is the youngest son of three boys to Liz and Thomas Junior, a retired White Plains firefighter. He will join his brother, William, who became a firefighter with the City of Rye in 2022. “I’d like to thank my Mom and my Dad to raising me to a standard,” said Junior, who will be a second generation firefighter. “I’m excited to work with everyone else that is here.”
Video of the ceremony:
