Fourteen Fire Service Technology graduates followed the sound of bagpipes as they marched into the Nampa Civic Center on May 6 to celebrate completion of the program.
Kevin Platts, Director of Public Safety Programs, and Darrin Raskopf, Director of Fire Service Technology, kicked off the event by welcoming students and visitors.
Valedictorian Garrett Morse, who was hired by the Boise Fire Department after passing his tests, spoke during the ceremony.
“This program was a stepping stone for our careers and many new friendships with the people we will be working with for the next 20 to 30 years,” he said. “We’ve experienced a lot of stress and body aches and sarcastic remarks over the semester, but it is something I would never trade.”
Morse concluded his remarks by thanking his instructors and the variety of active and retired members of the fire community who helped train the class.
Keynote speaker Mark Niemeyer, Chief of the Boise Fire Department, told graduates how important it is to maintain the public’s trust and underscored as they advance through their careers to remember the higher you go, the more you will owe.
Niemeyer finished with, “Enjoy the journey, and remember we are here to help you along the way. Good luck!”
