12-14-2012 Chattanooga Fire Academy 2013 Starts Today

To become Chattanooga firefighters, they will have to make it through six-and-a-half months of intense mental and physical training. That training will include how to respond to structure, vehicle and wild-land fires, motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, haz-mat emergencies and all types of rescue situations. Many of the recruits are already EMT certified. Those who are not must undergo that training as well.

Fire Chief Randy Parker said the department strives to recruit a talented and diverse workforce. "Many of our recruits are local, but there are a number of individuals from out of state," said Parker. "We have a long waiting list of job applicants and many of the people we hired today have been trying to get on with us for years."

In the group photo taken today at the training center, Fire Chief Randy Parker is on the far left and Training Chief Mack Moore is on the fire right. The recruits are identified by name and hometown, starting with the front row (left to right) – James Palmer (Chattanooga), Allen Green (Chattanooga), Stephanie George (Chattanooga), Josef Fuller (Chattanooga), Brandon Fryar (Chattanooga), Pierce Franklin (Kearneysville, WV), Daniel Cholota (Chattanooga), Bradley Britt (Signal Mountain), Preston Binegar (Chattanooga), Justin Bakke (Minneapolis, MN), Charles Bailey (Chattanooga).

(second row, left to right) – Brandon O'Dell (Chattanooga), Thomas Williams (Chattanooga), Michael Taylor (Valdosta, GA), Maxwell Sides (Memphis, TN), Derek Riley (Memphis, TN), Patricio Repetto (Miami, FL), Steven Ratledge (Soddy Daisy), Matthew Randall (Ooltewah), Richard Pershey (Savannah, GA), Jesse Manoni (Chattanooga) and Magdalena Novak (Chattanooga).

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