ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Valley has a new group of first responders.
Class 36, composed of nine men and three women, graduated Tuesday morning at the Berglund Center.
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Half of the graduates will work in Roanoke City, and the other half will work in Botetourt County.
The recruits have spent weeks training in both the classroom and in the field to help them prepare for real-life emergencies.
“You’re entering a workforce of the most publicly trusted profession in modern society,” said Botetourt Co. Chief Jason Ferguson.
“No matter what fire service you’re in, what department you work for, it’s the men and women who make the call, that make the decisions, make the calls and make the sacrifices,” said Roanoke Chief David Hoback.
The next group of recruits will graduate in June with another class starting in July.
One recruit secured his future in more ways than one – a step forward in his career and a ring on his now fiancee’s hand.