6 new firefighters take oath

LYNN – Patrick Coppola dreamed of one day serving as a missionary in Mexico, but on Tuesday night, he was sworn in as one of six new firefighters for the city of Lynn.?We had a fire in our house when I was in high school and when I saw the firefighters, it made me feel like it was something that I wanted to get into,” Coppola said. “It changed my career path.”Coppola, 24, along with Christopher Fountain, Kevin E. Curry, Christopher Doucette, Erichson Seang and John Traversy joined the ranks of the department, bringing the total number of firefighters in the city to 177.The latest crop of recruits comes on the heels of 10 firefighters that were sworn in on July 5 as part of a $1.4 million federal grant the department received in February.?I have to say how proud we are of all of you,” said Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy. “Everyone is very well qualified and it?s a joy to ask you to participate in the Lynn Fire Department.”Fire Chief Dennis Carmody said in addition to Tuesday?s group, three more firefighters will be sworn in the coming four to five weeks to bring the total number up to 180.?But, even with the 180, we?ll still be 55 firefighters below what we had in 2000,” Carmody said. “It sounds like we?re doing a lot, but we?re still well below.”Regardless of the numbers, Coppola?s mother, Donna, a city School Committee member, was all smiles at the ceremony.?I?m very excited for him,” she said about her youngest child. “He?s definitely the kind of kid that wanted to be in public service. He has a big heart.”The grant is also being put toward improving operations and safety at the department, as well as filling training needs and equipment requirement.