The Monmouth County Fire Academy graduated 43 firefighters from the Firefighter I program on Jan. 24-25 at the fire academy in Howell.
The first-time firefighter graduates of Class 112 and Class 113 worked 172 hours over 32 sessions and received training in rescue, fire extinguishment, hazardous materials response, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, electrical safety, and care of hoses, ladders and other equipment, according to a press release from the county.
A graduate from each class earned the Ronald Fitzpatrick Award, named for a former instructor at the fire academy who died in the line of duty in 2003.
The awards went to Andrew P. Sparber, Class 112, of the East Freehold Fire Company, Freehold Township, and to Patrick S. Nowell, Class 113, of the Shrewsbury Fire Company.
For their respective graduating classes, Sparber and Nowell received the highest test scores and attendance records.
Local graduates of the fire academy are: Dylan R. Barkaszi, Squankum Fire Company, Howell; Robert A. Cromer Jr., Morganville Independent Fire Company, Marlboro; Joseph M. Fernandes, Englishtown Fire Department; Travis B. Finn, Squankum Fire Company, Howell; Stefan C. Kalabus, Hope Fire Company, Upper Freehold Township.
And, Carmelo G. La Marca, Adelphia Fire Company, Howell; Gunnar Larsen, Freehold Fire Department, Freehold Borough; Dennis J. Lucas, Ramtown Fire Company, Howell; Robert J. Mahoney, Colts Neck Fire Department; Brandon J. McKenna, Adelphia Fire Company, Howell; Nicholas A. Nichols, Squankum Fire Company, Howell.
Also, Stefan M. Nikolof, Ramtown Fire Company; Howell; Andrew P. Sparber, East Freehold Fire Company, Freehold Township; John Spierto, Englishtown Fire Department; Jayson Jacot, Freehold Township Independent Fire Company No. 1; and Wojceich Wilk, Freehold Township Independent Fire Company No. 1.
Monmouth County Fire Marshal Kevin A. Stout congratulated the graduates and said, “I am confident that each firefighter will go on to serve his community well. They have completed the best training available from highly qualified instructors.”
