Hispanic firefighter makes history in Belvidere community

By Anne Eickstadt

ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO Belvidere Republican
Chief Al Hyser and Mayor Mike Chamberlain join firefighter Adrian Trujillo, as Trujillo takes his Oath of Office to protect the community on Friday, Jan. 11.

Editor

The ceremony at City Hall drew numerous family members and friends, and two thirds of the Belvidere Fire Dept. (well, someone has to stay at the station to be alert for emergency calls) and Belvidere and Boone County notables.

The event began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by an invocation by Fire Dept. Chaplain Alan Buss. Fire Chief Al Hyser welcomed everyone and spoke how firefighter candidate Adrian Trujillo had come to this moment in time.

Adrian was born and raised in Belvidere. He played football with Belvidere High School in NIC-10 games and graduated in 2014. Bucs Football Coach Phil Baker said, “You can measure Adrian [five foot, five inches] but you can’t measure his heart. He was one of my all time favorite players.” Originally, Trujillo had planned a career in the health profession but Assistant Coach Al Hyser introduced him to the fire service and changed Trujillo’s life.

Trujillo continued on to Western Illinois University where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection Services with a minor in Spanish and in SCUBA diving. He did an internship with the Belvidere Fire Dept. in the summer of 2017.

“He has a heart for this job and he has a heart for the people of the community,” said Chief Hyser. “There was no question in my

ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO Belvidere Republican
Adrian Trujillo with his fire service brothers-in-arms as they welcome him to the Belvidere Fire Dept.

mind when he was an intern. We witnessed the future when he was with us. He had a big time passion for what he wanted to become – a firefighter. He wanted to learn, he really had a desire to learn. Most inspiring was his ability to get along with all the firefighters in the department.

“When he left the internship to return to WIU, to a man, everyone was asking, ‘Can we hire that kid?’

“And here we are today. He went through all the paces and he tested well. The commissioner said his oral interview was the best they had ever witnessed. Adrian had to pass a physical agility test, a written test, a background check, a polygraph test, an oral interview, a medical exam, and a psych exam. He begins a nine-week course at the Fire Academy on Monday, Jan. 14, where he will be trained to…

For complete article, pick up the Jan. 17 Belvidere Republican.