A class of 26 cadets has completed the Chattanooga Fire Department’s six-month academy to become the newest members of the unit.
Each cadet not only learned about the different aspects of the fire service, including how to fight different kinds of fire, but also completed emergency medical technician training.
The cadets also mastered a number of skills, notes the CFD in a news release, including hazardous materials operations, vehicle extrication, rope rescues, tactical ventilation, rapid intervention team techniques (saving a fellow downed or injured firefighter) and fire ground survival (saving themselves from a fire if they become trapped, disoriented or separated from their crew).
The CFD’s 2023 class is a diverse group composed of both men and women. Their ranks also include military veterans, former police officers, the sons of two current Chattanooga firefighters and a chemical engineer.