By Kipper Sinclair, Ranger Reporter:
On May 17, the Amarillo College fire academy held the 2018 pinning ceremony for the 42nd and 43rd fire academies. There was a special posting of the Colors by the Honor Guards and Amarillo Fire Fighter Pipes and Drums (AFFP&D). The guest speaker for the ceremony, Dennis Eaves, is also the outgoing program director for the fire academy. “Many words mean a lot to me…family. Family is not just those you will be going home to tonight–it is your classmates and instructors and those at our jobs are out extended family,” Eaves said.
Following Eaves’ speech, there was a video presentation with highlights from both fire academies. The videos were set to music and included a collage of videos and photos commemorating students’ time training at the academy.
“I love seeing these guys excel and the future they have got ahead of them now. That’s what I enjoy. I am ecstatic,” Rodney Sharp, current fire academy program director,
said.
The graduates were surrounded by their families and excited to mark a milestone and take the next step. “It feels special but at the same time it is very humbling as you realize that you finished the fire academy and you have started a new journey,” said Brandon Williams, graduate of the 43rd academy.
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