Career Staff Home / Career Staff Christiana hired its first two full-time Firefighter/EMTs in 1994 to offset daily Fire/EMS staffing. Over the past 30 years we have gradually increased our career staff to 36 full-time employees. In 2004 Christiana Career Staff started the first I.A.F.F.

Union

Local in Delaware for combination department firefighters, which has grown to over 150 members throughout Recent Castle County, also followed suite in Kent and Sussex Counties with their own locals. CFC was the first combination department in the state to promote career employees into the officer ranks in 2012 with our first Career Assistant Chief, followed by our first Career Lieutenants in 2015. In 2026 it was determined that it was unrealistic to expect our volunteer Fire Chief to manage the busiest station in the State of Delaware and one of the busiest in the northeast region on his own time.

The company then decided to hire our Chief full time, making him the first Career Fire Chief for CFC.



Our career staff work seamlessly alongside of our volunteer officers and members to ensure we have a minimum of 1 Duty Chief, 1 Engine, 1 Ladder, and 3 BLS units staffed 24/7, 365. Christiana strives to be the example of a successful combination system for our state and nation.

We Currently

Employ 1 Career Fire Chief, 1 Career Assistant Chief, 3 Captains, 1 Lieutenant, 16 Firefighters, 12 EMTs, a full-time administrator and a full-time mechanic. CFC also employs over 30 part time EMTs for BLS staffing.

Our Career

Fire/EMS work a 4 Platoon rotation of 24hrs on and 72 hrs off. Each shift has 1 Capt./Lt. (Shift Commander), with 4 Firefighter/EMTs & 3 BLS EMTs.

Kevin

Cowperthwait - Career Fire Chief Brandon Speakman - Career Assistant Chief Nicholas Cripps Nick was hired as a FT firefighter in May 2024 and assigned to D Platoon. Nick is also a Captain for the Claymont Fire Co.

Positions

Held 2026 - FF/EMT - B3 2025 - FF/EMT - D3

📌 NICHOLAS CRIPPS (Karanpur)
🏢 Christiana Fire Company
📍 Karanpur