Raleigh Fire Department History - Recruit Academies

 

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.

 

#

Year

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

Council Chambers

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.
Hired for 27. Two did not show.

 

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

30

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

Apr 26, 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

 

 

 

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