Pasadena Fire Department Graduates 10 Recruits from 4,000 Applicants

Join Pasadena Fire Chief Calvin E. Wells as he presides over the newest graduating class of 10 firefighter recruits for the department beginning at 1 p.m., Thursday, May 15, 2014, at the Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena, Calif.
The graduating class of new firefighters includes nine men and one woman, including: Kevin Adair, Jeffrey Grogan, Erik Hernandez, Roderick Hutchinson, Heywot Kollee, Russell Kraus, Benjamin Sullivan, Kevin Ross, Edward Ruffalo and Shana Welch. As part of the ceremony, the new firefighters will have their badges pinned on them by a family member, friend or person of their choice.
Collectively, the firefighters ran more than 150 miles, did 33,700 push-ups, completed 480 rounds of Crossfit training and finished more than 600 hours of education during their 16-week academy. Recruits also underwent extensive written, psychological and physical testing, plus extensive background and tiered interview processes. The academy also consisted of training in live fires; hose and ladder deployments; emergency medical response and a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance. The last new firefighter recruit academy was in 2009.
“Becoming a Firefighter is one of the most sought-after careers and most difficult professions to get into. We are a world-class City and we pride ourselves on selecting top candidates who will be singled out not only as leaders in the fire service but also mentors in the community,” Chief Wells said.

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