Last updated April 2, 2023
Compiled by Mike Legeros
Note: The academy numbering system was adopted in the late 2000s, based on historical research by Legeros. The first 1978 class was adopted as Academy #1. Before that time, prior classes and clustered training for new hires dated to at least 1971, as subsequent research uncovered.
Start |
Weeks |
Graduation |
Ceremony |
Started |
Grads |
Notes |
||
n/a |
1971 |
Feb 1971 |
? |
? |
? |
15? |
15? |
|
n/a |
1971 |
Sep 1971 |
? |
? |
? |
15? |
15? |
|
n/a |
1972 |
Sep 18, 1972 |
7 |
? |
? |
7 |
7 |
|
n/a |
1973 |
Sep 4, 1973 |
4? |
? |
? |
8 |
7 |
|
n/a |
1974 |
Jun 5, 1974 |
12? |
none |
none |
30 |
30? |
Remembered as first class with 30 people, and having no graduation ceremony. |
n/a |
1976 |
Nov 1, 1976 |
? |
? |
? |
8? |
8? |
|
n/a |
1977 |
Apr 4, 1977 |
11 |
? |
? |
8 |
8 |
First class that required EMT cert. to graduate. Also, the label �academy� was not used at the time. |
1 |
1978 #1 |
Feb 1, 1978 |
10 |
Apr 11, 1978 |
? |
8 |
7 |
First academy; first group to receive diplomas; second group to receive EMT after program started in 1977. |
2 |
1978 #2 |
Jul 10, 1978 |
10 |
Sep 21, 1978 |
Council Chambers |
12 |
12 |
First female firefighters. |
3 |
1978 #3 |
Sep 18, 1978 |
12 |
Dec 8, 1978 |
26 |
25 |
Sta 16 opened Feb 9, 1979. |
|
4 |
1979 |
Mar 12, 1979 |
16 |
Jun 29, 1979 |
Council Chambers |
10 |
10 |
|
5 |
1980 |
May 5, 1980 |
14 |
Aug 15, 1980 |
Council Chambers |
20 |
19 |
Classes conducted at Sta 2. |
6 |
1981 |
Apr 6, 1981 |
14 |
Jul 17, 1981 |
Council Chambers |
21 |
20 |
Classes conducted at Sta 2. Third aerial ladder company in service, Sep 16, 1981. |
7 |
1982 #1 |
Mar 15, 1982 |
18 |
Jul 15, 1982 |
Council Chambers |
17 |
17 |
Classes conducted at Sta 2, then at newly completed Keeter Training Center. |
8 |
1982 #2 |
Nov 22, 1982 |
14 |
Mar 4, 1983 |
Council Chambers |
14 |
13 |
|
9 |
1983 |
Dec 14, 1983 |
16 |
May 10, 1984 |
Station 17 |
28 |
27 |
Cadets assigned to stations 2 weeks before graduation. Sta 17 opened Apr 9, 1984. |
|
1984 |
No academy this year |
||||||
10 |
1985 |
Jul 29, 1985 |
25 |
Feb 15?, 1986 |
Council Chambers |
17 |
16 |
Fourth aerial ladder company in service, 1986. First recruits required to maintain EMT certification after graduation. |
11 |
1986 |
Oct 1, 1986 |
16 |
Feb 6, 1987 |
Council Chambers |
25 |
25 |
Sta 18
opened Mar 16, 1987. |
|
1987 |
No academy this year |
||||||
12 |
1988 |
Feb 3, 1988 |
18 |
Jun 1988 |
Council Chambers |
19 |
19 |
Sta 19 opened May 11, 1988. |
13 |
1989 |
Feb 15, 1989 |
14 |
May 26 1989 |
Council Chambers |
19 |
19 |
Sta 20 opened Jan 20, 1989. Fifth ladder company in service, 1989. |
14 |
1990 |
Feb 14, 1990 |
20 |
Jun 30, 1990 |
Council Chambers |
18 |
17 |
Hired for 19. One did not show. |
15 |
1991 |
Feb 13, 1991 |
26 |
Aug 30, 1991 |
Council Chambers |
25 |
25 |
|
16 |
1992 |
Feb 24, 1992 |
26 |
Aug 21?, 1992 |
Council Chambers |
19 |
17 |
Includes 10 Wake FF and 2 Wilson FF. |
17 |
1993 |
Feb 8, 1993 |
26 |
Jul 30, 1993 |
Council Chambers |
30 |
27 |
Includes 1 Wake FF and 4 Wilson FF. |
18 |
1994 |
May 31, 1994 |
25 |
Nov 23, 1994 |
Council Chambers |
24 |
23 |
Includes 2 Wake FF. |
|
1995 |
No academy this year |
||||||
19 |
1996 |
Jan 8, 1996 |
20 |
May 24, 1996 |
Civic Center � Room D |
33 |
33 |
|
20 |
1997 #1 |
Jan 6, 1997 |
25 |
Jun 27, 1997 |
Council Chambers |
18? |
18 |
|
21 |
1997 #2 |
Oct 27, 1997 |
24 |
May 1, 1998 |
St. Mary's College � Pittman Auditorium |
35 |
35 |
Sta 21 opened June 15, 1998. Sta 22 opened July 31, 1998. |
22 |
1998 |
Aug 17, 1998 |
7 |
Oct 2, 1998 |
Council Chambers |
21 |
20 |
|
23 |
1999 |
Jun 7, 1999 |
26 |
Dec 3, 1999 |
New Hope Baptist Church |
39 |
36 |
|
24 |
2000 #1 |
Mar 27, 2000 |
10 |
Jun 2, 2000 |
Council Chambers |
10 |
10 |
Sta 23 opened Feb 15, 2000. |
25 |
2000 #2 |
Nov 6, 2000 |
10 |
Jan 5, 2001 |
Council Chambers |
15 |
15 |
|
26 |
2000 #3 |
Nov 6, 2000 |
27 |
May 7, 2001 |
Civic Center � Hall 1 |
29 |
28 |
Sta 24 opened Aug 24, 2001. Sta 25 opened Aug 2, 2001. |
27 |
2001 |
Sep 10, 2001 |
10 |
Nov 14, 2001 |
Council Chambers |
15 |
15 |
|
28 |
2002 #1 |
Oct 7, 2002 |
11 |
Dec 30, 2002 |
Council Chambers |
10 |
10 |
|
29 |
2002 #2 |
Oct 7, 2002 |
26 |
Apr 7, 2003 |
BTI Center - Fletcher Hall |
28 |
28 |
Sta 26 opened Jun 9, 2003. Sta 27 opened Jun 9, 2003. |
|
2003 |
No academy this year |
||||||
2004 #1 |
Jan 5, 2004 |
9 |
Mar 5, 2004 |
Council Chambers |
13 |
13 |
Sixth ladder company in service, Apr 6, 2004. |
|
31 |
2004 #2 |
Apr 5, 2004 |
24 |
Sep 27, 2004 |
BTI Center - Main Auditorium |
18 |
18 |
|
32 |
2005 |
Feb 7, 2005 |
27 |
Aug 8, 2005 |
BTI Center - Fletcher Hall |
24 |
24 |
Seventh ladder company in service, Aug 6, 2005. |
33 |
2006 |
Sep 18, 2006 |
27 |
Mar 12, 2007 |
BTI Center - Fletcher Hall |
32 |
32 |
Sta 28 opened Apr 2007. |
|
2007 |
No academy this year |
||||||
34 |
2008 |
Jan 7, 2008 |
28 |
Jul 14, 2008 |
BTI Center - Fletcher Hall |
24 |
24 |
|
35 |
2008 |
Sep 30, 2008 |
28 |
Apr 17, 2009 |
Convention Center - Exhibit Hall C |
29 |
27 |
Eighth ladder company in service, Jan 6, 2009. |
|
2009 |
No academy this year |
||||||
36 |
2010 |
May 26, 2010 |
30 |
Dec 17, 2010 |
Raleigh Convention Center, Exhibit Hall C |
25 |
24 |
|
|
2011 |
No academy this year |
||||||
37 |
2012 |
Dec 30, 2011 |
30 |
Jul. 13, 2012 |
Progress Energy Center � Mymandi Concert Hall |
29 |
28 |
|
38 |
2013 |
Jan 31, 2013 |
27 |
Aug 9, 2013 |
Duke Energy Center, Meymandi Concert Hall |
27 |
26 |
|
39 |
2014 |
Mar 24, 2014 |
28 |
Sep 25, 2014 |
Duke Energy Center, Fletcher Opera Theater |
34 |
30 |
|
40 |
2014 |
Oct 24, 2014 |
28 |
May 14, 2015 |
Duke Energy Center, Fletcher Opera Theater |
38 |
|
Sta 29 opened, ninth ladder company in service. |
41 |
2016 |
Jan. 25, 2016 |
29 |
Aug 18, 2016 |
Duke Energy Center, Fletcher Opera Theater |
39 |
37 |
|
42 |
2017 |
Feb 20, 2017 |
32 |
Sep 27, 2017 |
Duke Energy Center, Fletcher Opera Theater |
40 |
36 |
|
43 |
2018 |
Apr 30, 2018 |
32 |
Dec 5, 2018 |
Meymandi Concert Hall, Duke Energy Center |
30 |
27 |
|
44 |
2019 |
Apr 29, 2019 |
32 |
Dec 5, 2019 |
Raleigh Convention Center |
19 |
19 |
|
45 |
2020 |
Jul 6, 2020 |
27 |
Jan 6, 2021 |
Keeter Training Center |
30 |
27 |
|
46 |
2021 |
Apr 26, 2021 |
10 |
Jul 2, 2021 |
Keeter Training Center |
16 |
16 |
First short academy since 2004 |
47 |
2021 |
30 |
Nov 16, 2021 |
Duke Energy Center, Fletcher Opera Theater |
22 |
20 |
|
|
48 |
2022 |
Apr 23, 2022 |
30 |
Dec 28, 2022 |
Raleigh Convention Center |
56 |
49 |
|
49 |
2022 |
Sep 26, 2021 |
4 |
Oct 21, 2022 |
Keeter Training Center |
28 |
25 |
First lateral academy. |
50 |
2023 |
Mar 27, 2023 |
12 |
|
|
8 |
|
Short academy. |
51 |
2023 |
Mar 27, 2023 |
32 |
|
|
31 |
|
|
Copyright 2023 by Michael J. Legeros