U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) Fire and Emergency Services (FES) Academy swore-in seven new federal firefighters in a ceremony on May 17. The firefighters will now serve at various fire stations at NBG installations throughout Guam and are part of the first of two graduating fire academy classes this year.

“Merely months into their training this class volunteered for the front lines to battle the wildland fires that we had here recently,” said Installation Fire Chief Gifton Lawrence, Jr. in his keynote speech.  “This class, only days into their Emergency Medical Technician training, responded to and assisted on multiple EMS calls ranging from a multiple vehicle accident with injuries to CPR in progress for an unresponsive patient. In every instance this class answered the call.”

The graduated first responders spent 5-months of grueling physical and mental training to prepare them for response in their dual roles as medics and firefighters. The training was extensive and included training certifications for Emergency Medical Response (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Hazmat Awareness Operations, Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2.

The recruits also trained in rescue operations, auto-extrication, ladder work, and live fires.

“Twenty-four hours a day, 7-days a week, my firefighters are always ready to go and this training that they just went through that we just were witnessing on the graduation is just one part of the continuous training and dedication these people have that impresses me every single day,” said Capt. Jeffrey Grimes, NBG commanding officer.

Unique to this class, are the two female firefighters to graduate in more than 20 years from the academy.

Firefighter Veronica Emsley is one of the two women to graduate from Class 2019-01.

“I hope it opens the eyes to other females that we can do the same things that guys can do,” Emsley said. “It is hard you know, you’re going to have to work for it but whatever you want to do you can do it.”

Firefighter Dean Rivera, was a U.S. Navy police officer before he joined the fire academy and cited that the fire academy leadership didn’t leave any stones unturned for their training.

“The curriculum that the chiefs prepared for us was a challenge but for the most part we took it and we’re here today and we finished and accomplished everything,” Rivera said.

Fire Chief Mark Berry spearheaded the academy and praised the group with some final words before they were assigned to their respective stations.

“The final words I want to leave this class is to love learning. Learn to love the failures because they provide an opportunity to come back stronger,” Berry said. “Learn to love the setbacks because they will teach you how to forge a new path. Learn to love the successes because it shows you the fruits of hard work through diligence.”

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