Meet Raleigh’s new (probationary) firefighters, who graduated on January 13, 2021, from Recruit Academy 45.  The twenty-seven week academy started in April 2020. Their training included a number of modifications due to COVID conditions, including condensing the program from 32 to 27 weeks. The graduation was also held outdoors, for the first-time in decades and maybe ever. At the event, an empty chair was present for instructor Lt. Herman Ellis, who died off-duty in a motor-vehicle accident on January 3. See photos of the graduation. 

The Graduates

James W. Bullock III
Tyler N. Bunce
Camden T. Duchesneau
Dillon R. Eckert
Stephen B. Garner
Corey A. Joe
Matthew J. Knight
Dylan M. Lawrence
Alexandra D. Lee
Robert E. Lugo
William A. Margolin
Christian Mejia
Lucila M. Vargas
Nicholas J. Mullin
Michael D. Owens
Bryan J. Parker
David D. Power
Derick Rodriguez
Courtney S. Rosenkranz
Justin C. Ruffin
Noah S. Scalish
Dylan P. Short
Troy R. Swanzey
Joseph B. Tindal
Anna F. Wellborn
Andrew C. T. Williford
Elijah J. York

Photo courtesy Raleigh Fire Department