The Liberty Township Trustees are pleased to announce the promotion of two part-time firefighters – Benjamin Dykes and Jacob Oakes – to the position of Career Firefighter/Paramedic within the Township’s Fire Department. Dykes has served the Liberty Township community in his part-time role since 2006; Oakes has been a part-time member of the department since 2009. Together, the gentlemen bring more than 17 years of combined experience working in Liberty Township and a few surrounding communities.
“Ben and Jake have been great members of the Liberty Township Fire Department. I’m pleased to see them earn this promotion following our internal process. It’s always nice to have the opportunity to promote from within the fire department. Ben and Jake are excited about their new roles, and I know they’ll serve our department and the community very well,” said Chief Paul Stumpf, Liberty Township Fire Chief.
Dykes grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and moved to Cincinnati in 1997. He graduated from Landmark Christian School a year later in 1998. He received firefighter, EMT and paramedic certifications from Butler Tech. Dykes has been employed part-time with the Liberty Township and Fairfield Township fire departments since 2006 and the City of Lebanon since 2014. Dykes and his wife of nine years, Sarah, live in Monroe and have two children Ava (4) and Finn (2). Outside of work, Dykes enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors.
Oakes grew up in Wayne Township, Ohio and had his first encounter with the firefighting field nearly 12 years ago when he participated in the Liberty Township Explorer program. He graduated from Edgewood High School in 2007. He went on to earn firefighter, EMT and paramedic certifications from Butler Tech – along with several specialized technician certificates. Oakes has been working as a volunteer and part-time firefighter at several fire departments: Seven Mile (2007), Fairfield Township (2008), Liberty Township (2009), Trenton (2012), and Lebanon (2013). Oakes is excited to spend his career with the Liberty Township Fire Department and join his brother Chris Oakes, a current member of the department. Oakes, who lives in Trenton, enjoys fishing, hunting, playing softball, and spending time with family and friends.