At their Thursday meeting, the Bethel Township Trustees swore in five new firefighters. Welcomed to the department were Megan Massie, Macalah Schuyler, McKenzie Rucker, Christopher Scott and Kristina Braucher.

The Trustees also agreed to pay $4,400 to certify the Bethel Township Fire Department as an FAA certified responder, which allows trained department members to operate drones at emergency situations in Clark, Greene, Miami and Montgomery Counties.

Trustee Nancy Brown said a drone would be helpful finding a lost child or an alzheimer’s patient. Bethel Township would be the only township in the area to receive this certification.

The Bethel Township Trustees meet on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at the Bethel Township offices on Lake Rd. The public is invited to attend.