Con Fire Graduates Academy 58, Adding 28 Firefighters To The Ranks

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Contra Costa County Fire Protection District announced the graduation of its Firefighter Recruit Academy 58 and the addition of 28 new probationary firefighters to the district's ranks.

The graduation ceremony was held Wednesday at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts before an audience of several hundred family members, friends, local officials and public wellwishers. Each graduate was "pinned" with their firefighter badge and sworn in as a Con Fire firefighter.

"These 28 recruits have accomplished much in their 20-week course of instruction, learning from the best along the way," County Fire Chief Lewis Broschard said at the graduation ceremony. "They are now well prepared to enter the next phase of their careers, serving the residents of Contra Costa County as Con Fire firefighters. Our personnel are our greatest asset and we are committed to supporting their physical and emotional well-being for long and successful careers."

The graduating firefighters underwent a physically and mentally challenging 20-week course of instruction using the latest firefighting and training techniques. In addition to structure firefighting techniques, these firefighters enhanced their knowledge and skills in wildland firefighting, rescue, automobile extrication, hazardous materials response, emergency medical services, and other techniques they can be expected to put to use in their first assignments as probationary firefighters.

The training was designed to develop each trainee’s ability to function under stress and perform as a member of a disciplined firefighting crew.

Beginning this week, the new firefighter graduates of Academy 58 joined crews across the county. They will bolster ranks as the district prepares to reopen the long-closed Fire Station 74 in Pinole as part of a new contract-for-service arrangement for all fire services in that city to be implemented March 1.

Other new firefighters will staff a new fire truck company to be constituted in Antioch later this spring. The additional crews and equipment are expected to be in place ahead of what is likely to be another season of challenging wildfire weather.