Two Sunbury residents, James Cannell and Jack Reall, have been promoted to assistant chief and deputy chief of the Columbus Division of Fire.
Fire Chief Kevin O’Connor made the announcement last month at the division’s promotional ceremony, and the promotion took effect Tuesday.
A certified paramedic and member of the division of fire since 1989, Cannell has been recognized for his accomplishments throughout his career, even earning three Distinguished Service Awards for his efforts on emergency scenes.Before his promotion, he was a deputy chief in charge of Unit 1 in the division’s emergency services bureau. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1995, captain in 2001, battalion chief in 2007, and deputy chief in 2011.
Cannell serves as a member of the National Fire Protection Association technical committee on fire training. He has previously served as a chairman on the civil service committee for the Columbus Firefighters Union Local 67. He also served as a member of Ohio Task Force One that responded to the World Trade Center on Sept 11, 2001.
During his time off, Cannell currently serves as a captain and training coordinator for the Porter-Kingston Fire District and served as the fire training director for the Delaware Area Career Center.
Cannell and his wife, Lesley, reside in Sunbury with their daughter. They also have two sons, one serving in the armed forces and one serving as a Columbus firefighter.
Reall, a certified paramedic, joined the division of fire in 1989. Before to his promotion, he was a battalion chief in the emergency services bureau. Following Cannell’s footsteps, Reall worked his way up the ranks, being promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1996, captain in 2004 and battalion chief in 2011.
Currently, Reall serves as a central Ohio regional board member for the Children’s Hunger Alliance. He is a former member of the Department of Homeland Security emergency service senior advisory committee and the National Fire Academy board of visitors.
Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his accomplishments with the division. He received the Battalion Chief Commendation Award in 1992 and 1995. He, too, earned three Distinguished Service Awards for his efforts on emergency scenes.
During his time off, he teaches a fire officer course at Franklin University. Reall and his wife, Brenda, reside in Sunbury with their son.
