Crime & Safety

Scott Swiniarski: From Numbers to Boots

Swiniarski is a member of the North Andover Fire Department.

Scott Swiniarski didn't always plan to be a but he's glad he is one.

Even in -- and perhaps especially in -- situations like a recent one in which he

His career path started with a big switch.

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Swiniarski's wife Tracy is a teacher in Methuen. When they dated, Swiniarski was in college studying to be an accountant.

"But I figured sitting around working with numbers wasn't really for me," he said. So in his senior year he decided he wanted to be a firefighter. The night he discussed this with his then-girlfriend Tracy, her apartment building in Worcester caught fire.

Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So that settled that.

Now 13 years later, Swiniarski is settled in a career helping to protect his home town.

"I like hanging out with the guys, as long as the guys can take a joke," he said. "And this lets me be home with my two young daughters."


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