The Broken Arrow Fire Department is growing in strength as it celebrates the graduation of 24 new firefighters on Friday.
The City promised to hire 20 new firefighters by 2020, and on Friday, that became reality. In November of 2015 Broken Arrow voters agreed to renew the Tulsa County Vision 2025 sales tax and repurpose it to pay for additional police officers, firefighters and local street improvements.
Nine new firefighters were hired in November of 2015 and now an additional 19 will join the department. Five Tulsa Community College interns also took part in the fire academy.
After five and a half months of vigorous training, cadets, now firefighters, walked across the stage to accept their badge.
“It's an amazing feeling,” David Meeks, a recent graduate of the academy said. “All these guys to have your back and have a big brotherhood. You know each and every one of them. It is like your family. And to be out there serving our community, we do our best to set the standard in the state and that's what we live for every day.”
This years fire academy had a 100 percent pass rate, and of the 24 that graduated, 19 will begin shifts next week. The Broken Arrow Fire Department's authorized strength is currently at 173 firefighters.
Officials said FEMA grants allowed the department to reach its staffing goals in less than two years.
Graduates said getting to this point wasn't easy.
“We went through firefighter one, firefighter two, hazmat ops, hazmat awareness and ropes one and two,” Michael Rowell, graduate and class leader, said.
“It was tough,” Howard Womble, a graduate said. “I never experienced the physical part that I did here. They prepare you mentally and physically to get on shift and do your job right.”
Friday’s graduation marks the end of the fire academy, and the beginning of something big.
“To be out there serving our community, we do our best to set the standard in the state and that's what we live for every day,” Meeks said.
With each cadet that walked across the stage, BAFD not only gained a firefighter, but a member of the family.
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