The 99th Firefighter Academy is fast tracking 15 firefighter recruits to graduate before the holidays. The firefighters who began training today will actually begin working in Des Moines Fire Department stations before members of the 98th Firefighter Academy which began training in January of 2022.
That's because the 99th Academy is a test of a new concept in DMFD's recruiting arsenal - it's a class made up completely of certified firefighters and paramedics who began their careers at other departments. Certified firefighters from as far as Kentucky, some of whom have over 15 years of experience make up the class allowing for a quicker Fire Academy.
"During the pandemic, we got behind one cycle on hiring," Des Moines Fire Department Chief John TeKippe said. "This is our first opportunity for us to hire a class that's already certified, and get them in our fire stations serving the residents and businesses of Des Moines sooner."
The typical fire academy takes between 12-18 months to complete, but because of the previous certifications and experience, this academy is expected to take about a quarter of the time with an expected completion date before Thanksgiving.
The 99th Fire Academy does not replace the routine annual recruiting process and instead is a supplemental class of recruits for DMFD.
"This is a great test of a new recruiting concept for us and it's going to provide valuable reinforcements before the holidays," TeKippe said. "The residents are going to have a really great outcome from this class, which is what they deserve."
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up