Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – May 8, 2024 – The inaugural Citizens Fire Academy graduated its first class Monday night, May 6, at the Fire Training Academy off Stadium Boulevard.

Eleven people completed the nine-week course, Jonesboro Fire Chief Marty Hamrick said.

“We’re trying to get citizens informed about what we do,” he said. “They’re learning a lot of things they didn’t realize what we do.”

The course included a history of JFD, requirements of firefighters, protective equipment, fire and life safety, vehicle extrication, physical fitness and other criteria.

The sessions were held at various fire stations in Jonesboro and included nine instructors from the department, Hamrick said.

“It’s been a pretty positive response with the instructors and the people taking the class,” he said.

Hamrick said he researched other fire departments’ academies and the Jonesboro police’s academy before launching the JFD’ version.

Monday night’s session focused on hazardous materials and was led by JFD’s haz-mat coordinator Capt. Tommy Wall.

Class member LaGanzie Kale, founder and general manager of radio station KLEK, said he enjoyed the class. “I love it. I have a much deeper respect for the department,” he said. “The physical fitness test was the hardest. I only got halfway through it.”

Most members of the class said last week’s class, which involved rappelling, was their favorite. Members rappelled down the exterior of the fire academy building.

Capt. Wall, on Monday, told class members he heads the Northeast Arkansas Response Team.

The NEA response team, which is manned by about 12 members of the Jonesboro Fire Department, covers 17 counties in this area of the state. The team responds to possible chemical or terrorist attacks.

Wall showed the class three pieces of haz-mat detection equipment that he said cost more than $225,000. The equipment was purchased using a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The equipment allows the team to analyze potential toxins using sophisticated technology, Wall said.

After the classroom lecture, attendees were offered the opportunity to try on two of the haz-mat suits that the department uses.

Hamrick said that when wearing one of the suits several years ago he lost 10 pounds in 15 minutes due to sweating.