Clark State College in partnership with the Springfield Fire-Rescue Division awarded 6 graduate-recruits with a Firefighter I and II short-term technical certification at a ceremony today, Friday, January 5. The ceremony was held in the Clark State Performing Arts Center in Springfield.

Special awards will be presented including: Unit Citation Awards, Meritorious Service Awards, and Chief’s and Commendation Awards. Douglas Buffenbarger, chief of the Sugarcreek Township Fire Department was the featured guest speaker.

The recruits have completed a 13-week Firefighter 1&2 Academy, encompassing 480 hours of classroom and practical instruction.  All six are full-time employees with the City of Springfield Fire-Rescue Division and will begin their duties on January 8, assigned to 1 of the 6 fire stations within the city.

“This graduation continues the long-standing partnership between Clark State College Fire Training Program and the City of Springfield Fire-Rescue Division, providing high quality training and education for the public safety workforce,” said Jeremy Linn, fire safety training coordinator at Clark State.

Students must complete and earn the certificate from Clark State, then must successfully pass an exam administered by the Ohio Division of EMS that will be taken at Clark State.

Those interested in the Fire Safety Services training program should contact Linn at linnj@clarkstate.edu or 937.328.7938.

Firefighter Graduate-Recruits include:

Enon

Cole Schlereth

Springfield

Anthony DeCarlo

Levi Morrison

Zachary Sprinkle

Troy

Zachary Ramey

Xenia

Kevin Lockwood