The Monmouth County Fire Academy graduated 59 firefighters from Monmouth, Mercer, and Ocean counties in February. One of them is from Middletown.
Matt Jachyra will now join the ranks of Middletown Fire Dept.
Graduates worked 188 hours over 30 sessions and received training in rescue, fire extinguishment, hazardous materials response, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, electrical safety, and care of hoses, ladders and other equipment.
The new firefighters were divided into two classes: Class 96 graduated Jan. 22 and Class 97 graduated Jan. 23.
A graduate from each class earned an award in honor of Ronald Fitzpatrick, a former instructor at the Fire Academy who died in 2003. The awards went to James Taylor, Class 96 of the Cranbury Volunteer Fire Company, and Todd Migdon, Class 97, of the Bradley Beach Fire Department in recognition of their high test scores.
Monmouth County Fire Marshal Henry Stryker III congratulated the graduates and urged them to continue their training with advanced courses offered at the Fire Academy.
“Over the years I have learned that it takes a special type of person to be a firefighter,” Stryker said. “They have to have a passion to do this job. The graduates sitting before us have that passion because they have completed the rigorous training as their first step. Please be safe.”
Each year thousands of local firefighters receive training at the county Fire Academy. Applications for the spring 2013 Firefighter I class are being accepted now. Classes will begin in February.
Firefighter 1 - Class 96
Christian Annunziata, Holmdel Fire Rescue Co. #2
Michael Bardsley, Ramtown
Justin Boucher, Squankum Fire Co.
Derek DeLuca, Robertsville
Eric DiReda, Fair Haven
Jason Fazzaro, Cranbury Township
Franklin Gaskin III, Unexcelled Fire Co.
Samuel Gomez, Jr., East Windsor Volunteer Co. #2
Peter Gray, Elberon Engine
Thomas Haberstick, Bradley Beach
Alexander Handel, Gordon’s Corner
Daniel Huyler, Eatontown
Matt Jachyra, Middletown Fire Dept.
Bradford Jennings, Shrewsbury Hose Co.
Kevin Jobes, Sea Bright
Patrick Jobes, Sea Bright
Jason Kole, Gordon’s Corner
Alexander Kubiak, Adelphia
Sean Lampf, West Long Branch #1
Matthew Leitch, New Point Comfort #1
Joanne Letson, Bradley Beach
David Lovey, Southard
Stephen Madden, Holmdel Fire Rescue Co. #2
Sean Malone, Point Pleasant Beach
Michael Stewart, Monroe Township Volunteer #
Christopher Talocka, West Long Branch #1
Christopher Tappan, West Long Branch #1
James Taylor, Cranbury Township
Trisha Timony, Millstone Township
Steve Turner, Holmdel Fire Rescue Co. #2
Firefighter 1 - Class 97
Robert Achimov, Fair Haven
Daniel Andrus, Adelphia
Kristian Aspiolea, Freehold Independent
Michael Biyad, Holmdel #1
Matthew Coleman, Spring Lake Heights
Joseph Corson, Jr., Wayside
John DePinto, Adelphia
Frank Ferrara, Adelphia
David Glenny, Robertsville
Ryder Grimes, Ramtown
Edward Karecki, III, Laurence Harbor
Andrew Kennedy, Englishtown
John Kupsch, Eatontown
Conor Lennon, Englishtown
Travis Lowande, Jamesburg
Matt Manzella, Freehold Independent
Todd Migdon, Bradley Beach
Salvatore Nesta, IV, Hazlet No. 1
Matthew O’Brien, Englishtown
Michael Parkes, Pioneer Hose
Raymond Peterson, Shrewsbury Hose
Timothy Rehm, Wayside
Chris Reid, Jamesburg
Andrew Santos, Bradley Beach
Louis Sarti, Englishtown
Michael Schubert, Freewood Acres
Justin Scullion, Squankum
Kirk Smith, Wayside
Robert Smith, III, Morganville Independent
