AFD welcomes new cadet class
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Fifty men and women are on their way to joining the Austin Fire Department.
On Monday, Cadet Class 115 began its six-month training academy. Cadets will spend the next 28 weeks completing classroom and hands-on training in order to become a firefighter next year.
AFD officials say being offered a spot in the academy is no easy task.
"Our statistician likes to say that it's harder to get into the Austin Fire Department than it is to get into Harvard, statistically,” said Batt. Chief Thayer Smith. “Simply, because we typically have in the range of 5,000 people that start the application process."
The cadets will complete EMT training during the first several weeks of the academy. After that, they will move on to the fire curriculum.
If the cadets make it through the training, they'll graduate in May and become rookie firefighters.