BFRS Recruit Academy Graduation and Promotion Ceremony

Birmingham Fire & Rescue

Birmingham Fire & Rescue held it's Recruit Academy Graduation and Promotion Ceremony this morning at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It was a beautiful ceremony that was well attended by the family and friends of the candidates as well as former Birmingham Chief Murray.

I want to say a special thank you to Chief Harper for the opportunity to attend.


Field Training Officers:

Captain Gregory Cunningham
Captain Joseph Mixon
Lieutenant Jasper Juliano
Lieutenant Charles Bearden
Lieutenant Victor Cunningham
Lieutenant Tom Evans
Lieutenant Terry Smith
Lieutenant John Tompkins


Congratulations to the following new and newly promoted Birmingham Firefighters!

Firefighters:

Keagan Blakney
Jamarcus Brown
Jonathan Danzer
Jerel Davis
Joshua Dodson
Micah Fornest
Andy Gast
Archie Gresham
Casey Hackney
David Hamner
Carlin Harper
Norman Hayes
Gary Horsley
Darsel Hough
Michael Israel
Timothy Kennedy
Talon Kollars
Demarco Kyneard
Dwayne Murray II
Patrick Sargent
Chad Silas
Randall Sims II
Gregory WIlliams

Promotion to Battalion Chief:

Brian Gargus

Promotion to Captain:

Troy Ammons
Ricky Smith

Promotion to Apparatus Operator:

Peter Bennett II
Kenneth Broadhead
Larry Brown, Jr.
Edward Faulkner
Kevin Friday
Stanley Frierson
Lynn Glover
Todd Griffis
Raphael Hale
Jackie Hicks
James Higginbotham
Jonathan Hodoh
Robert Huff II
Darryl Hunter
Jeffrey Kelley
Joseph Kolodziej
Steven Miles
David Nance
Louis O'Hern
Antonio Payne
Steve Pegues
Curtis Poe
Larry Pritchett
Julius Purifie
Willie Walker, Jr.
John Watkins
Carolyn Wayland
Arizona Winborn

Public Safety Dispatcher III:

Joy Robinson


Lt. Tyrone Fornest opened the ceremonies with an Invocation and the Presentation of the Colors...



























Chief Harper spoke to the Firefighters and their families...




Mayor Bernard Kincaid spoke to the newly sworn Firefighters...




Assistant Chief Brooks gave a "Welcome to Our World" video presentation...




Battalion Chief Willis recognized the Training Officers...




Captain Cunningham...




Captain Mixon...




Lieutenant Juliano...




Lieutenant Bearden...




Lieutenant Cunningham...




Lieutenant Evans...




Lieutenant Smith...




Lieutenant Tompkins...




The graduating class was informed that they all passed Firefighter I & II...




The Firefighters are presented with their badge and certificate...


































Birmingham's newest Firefighters pin their badges...










Birmingham's newest class of Firefighters with Chief Harper and former Birmingham Chief Murray...




Lieutenant Bearden with his crew...

Arkadephia Apartments Fire

Birmingham Fire & Rescue

Bill Wall sent these fantastic shots from a fire Birmingham Fire & Rescue responded to in the apartments at Arkadelphia and 6th Avenue, West.

A special thanks to Bill for sharing these shots!

Center Street House Fire

Birmingham Fire & Rescue

Birmingham Firefighters responded to a house fire in the 500 blk of Center Street, So. around Noon today. Upon arrival, Engine 2 reported smoke showing and asked the next company to bring in a line.

A quick attack stopped the fire in it's tracks.

Companies on the scene included:

• Engine 2
• Engine 7
• Engine 21
• Rescue 6
• Truck 2
• Battalion 1
• PIO
• EMS 4
• Fire Investigator 5

Engine 21 laying a supply line...
















Battalion 1...






















Battalion 1...

























Rescue 6...







EMS 4...













Engine 21...
















NBC 13...










Alabaster's Fire Marshal on the scene...







Engine 7...




Truck 2...




EMS 4...




Birmingham Police : 331

BFRS Commercial Fire

Birmingham Fire & Rescue

Late this morning, Birmingham Firefighters responded to a fire in a commercial structure on Tin Mill Road in the western part of town. Upon arrival, Engine 17 had heavy smoke showing.

Media reports attribute the fire to a spark getting into a sawdust hopper. The quick response by Birmingham Fire & Rescue prevented the building from sustaining major damage.

Everyone was evacuated and there were no injuries.

Great job!

VMAT-203 & Coast Guard

PEMCO Fire Department

The VMAT-203 "SkyHawk" training squadron out of Cherry Point, NC stopped by Mercury Air to refuel their AV-8B Harriers. PEMCO firefighters were there and Lt. Coleman sent a few pictures.

An HH-65c from the U. S. Coast Guard was also refueling.

A special thank you to Lt. Coleman for the great shots!


VMAT-203 AV-8B Harrier













AIM-9 Sidewinder...







PEMCO 186...










U. S. Coast Guard HH-65c