COVINGTON, KY – The City of Covington has hired nine new recruits to the Covington Fire Department, continuing a proactive approach to staffing that will help reduce overtime costs and ensure the department remains fully prepared to serve the community.
The newest members of the Covington Fire Department are:
- Kevin Schutte, Paramedic Fire Fighter Grade II
- Xavier Abernathy, Fire Fighter Grade I
- Jacob Curnutte, Fire Fighter Grade I
- Mason Deye, Fire Fighter Grade I
- Cory Dunaway, Fire Fighter Grade I
- Maxwell Goldberg, Fire Fighter Grade I
- Tori Neltner, Fire Fighter Grade I
- Gerek Patrick, Fire Fighter Grade I
- Ben Thurgood, Fire Fighter Grade I
Four of the nine recruits are City of Covington residents. Among the class, one recruit is already certified as a Firefighter/Medic, and four are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
The hiring class represents a significant shift in the department’s staffing strategy. For the first time in decades, the Covington Fire Department is hiring ahead of anticipated retirements rather than waiting for vacancies to occur.
“This approach allows us to be proactive rather than reactive,” Fire Chief Corey Deye said. “By bringing new firefighters on board before retirements occur, we can ensure we have trained personnel ready to serve our community immediately while also helping reduce the amount of overtime needed to maintain staffing levels.”
Historically, retirements created staffing gaps that had to be filled through unscheduled overtime until new recruits could be hired and trained. By maintaining a pipeline of trained personnel, the department can quickly replace retired and retiring firefighters, improving operational efficiency and reducing overtime expenses.
The new recruits will complete the department’s intensive 13- to 16-week training academy, which prepares them for the physical, technical, and emotional demands of the fire service. Upon successful completion of the academy, the recruits will be sworn in as members of the Covington Fire Department and assigned to serve the community.
The latest class follows another major recruitment effort just seven months ago. In November 2025, the City swore in 13 new Covington Fire Department recruits, the department’s largest recruit class since 2004.
Together, these investments reflect the City’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a highly trained, well-staffed fire department capable of meeting the needs of Covington residents today and into the future.