After weeks of training, two dozen individuals completed training and became the newest firefighters of Alameda County Fire and Alameda Fire departments.
Twenty-four men and women graduated from the 2011 XAL Academy Wednesday at a ceremony in Castro Valley. Four were displaced when other fire agencies issued layoffs, according to a press release from the Alameda County Fire Department.
Their training included instruction in “suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials, incident command system, fire prevention, forcible entry, trench rescue, building construction, ladders, vertical ventilation, wildland, helicopter operations, vehicle extrication, water rescue, and ropes and knots,” Alameda County Fire's press release said.
The recruits also participated in a number of live fire-training sessions.
Watch the video above for a detailed look into the 16-week training period.
Here are the graduates, listed by their hometowns:
- Allison DePalma, Berkeley
- Ryan Castro, Castro Valley
- Lee Phillips, Castro Valley (from Australia)
- James Pendley, Chico
- Kimberly Larson, Cupertino
- Justin Forni, Danville
- Pao-fu Hwang, Fremont
- Francisco Navarro, Livermore
- David Stunkel, Livermore
- Tyson Tiago, Livermore
- Manh Tu-huynh, Morgan Hill
- Brendan Burke, Oakland
- Christopher Young, Oakland
- Brandon Buckley, Pleasanton
- Blake O’Hara, Pleasanton
- Jonathan Goulding, Roseville
- Eric LeBlanc, San Diego
- Laura Elder, San Francisco
- Andres Gonzalez, San Leandro
- Michael Sheridan, San Leandro
- Thomas Tran, San Leandro
- Anthony Scarper, San Lorenzo
- Eric Truax, San Lorenzo
- Aaron Panfilio, Susanville
