Wilmington Fire Department graduates 17 cadets from 2022 Recruit Academy

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — There are 17 new members of the Wilmington Fire Department.

Each member graduated from Recruit Academy in a ceremony on Sunday, with the cadets being pinned by a loved one and presented their new helmet.

Over the past six months, each recruit completed approximately 959 hours of training, along with 137 hours of physical training, achieving state certifications for Emergency Medical Technician, Firefighter, Shipboard Firefighting, and Hazardous Materials Operations, Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician, and much more.

“The 2022 Recruit Academy is an outstanding group of young men and women,” Fire Chief Steve Mason said. “After graduation, they will bring some much-needed relief for our daily staffing challenges. I am very proud of their progress throughout the academy and look forward to seeing them grow in their careers.”