SANFORD - Central Carolina Community College's Fire Academy graduation was held on Thursday, Dec. 17, at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center.

Division Chief Ronny Mizell, Deputy Director of Training, Raleigh Fire Department, was the keynote speaker.

The Fire Academy cadets and their sponsoring departments are: Mark R. Drumheller (Silk Hope Fire Department), Justin P. Fulcher (Spout Springs Emergency Services), Matthew R. Godley (Deep River Rural Fire Department), Kendall J. LaPann (Efland Volunteer Fire Department), Matthew G. Mead (Lillington Fire Department), Hunter C. Nadeau (Cypress Pointe Fire and Rescue), Michael JC Nelson (Flat Branch Volunteer Fire Department), Robert M. Nooney (Lillington Fire Department), Noah L. Perez (Deep River Fire Department), and Justin N. Smith (Deep River Fire Department).

Cadets receiving awards were: Hunter C. Nadeau, Most Improved; and Kendall J. LaPann, Captain's Award.

The Academy is a rigorous and challenging program of more than 800 hours of study and practice in fire and rescue scenarios and practicals. The cadets completed rigorous and intensive training in fire fighting, safety and survival, technical rescue, vehicle rescue, emergency vehicle driving, and hazardous materials response at the college's Emergency Services Training Center.

Captain Wilbert "Tramp" Dunn and Captain Robert Howard are the CCCC Fire Academy Coordinators. Chief Hampton Williams is the CCCC Fire and Rescue Training Coordinator.

CCCC began offering fire fighter training classes in 1964. In 2001, the Emergency Services Training Center was established at the former Sanford/Lee County Airport site in Sanford, providing greatly expanded facilities for training.

Since then, a new classroom building, a burn building, a rescue training tower, and other facilities have been added at the site. The Fire Academy opened in January 2010.

For information on CCCC's Fire Academy, contact the CCCC Fire and Rescue Coordinator at 919-777-7778.