Seventeen new firefighters will return to their home stations ready to make a difference.

Firefighter Class 198 of the Mississippi State Fire Academy graduated from the National Fire Protection Association 1001 Firefighter I-II course held at the MSFA, according to a release.

Graduation was held outside on campus at 10:00am on Thursday. This intense seven-week course includes online, classroom, and hands-on instruction in the areas of fire behavior, fire suppression, rescue, incident command, hazardous materials and other fire related topics.

State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney and Academy Executive Director Terry Wages said they believe these firefighters will be an asset to the fire departments they represent.

“We are excited for them to go and serve their community,” said Director Wages.

This course meets and exceeds the National Fire Protection Association for Firefighter Qualifications and the uniform minimum training standards stated in the Mississippi Code section 45-11-7.

The Mississippi State Fire Academy is a division of the Mississippi Insurance Department.