Academy graduates 25 new firefighters

Kilgore College Fire Academy graduated its 64th class Monday night at the Bert E. Woodruff Adult Education Center.

Jerry Eastman, instructor for the fire academy, along with Kilgore Fire Chief Dennis Gage presented 25 certificates to cadets from around Texas and Canada.

Each class presents the academy with a plaque and this year it was quite different. A fire across the street from the academy burned a chiropractic office but left a "no pain" sign in the rubble - the cadets turned the sign into their plaque, probably the largest that will ever be presented.

Gage presented a plaque to Eastman for his dedicated service to both the Kilgore Fire Department and the Kilgore College Fire Academy. Eastman recently retired from the academy and took another position at Kilgore College.

News Herald photo by LESTER MURRAY

The spring 2006 at Kilgore College's fire academy were pressed into service earlier this year when fire claimed Rocky Ridge Apartments and McNabb Chiropractic Clinic. Class members salvaged a sign off the

McNabb building, framed it and presented it to the fire academy. Each year, academy graduates present a plaque to the school. This year's plaque is the largest presented so far.