Fire Academy holds graduation

A color guard from Shelbyville Fire Department presented the U.S. and Tennessee flags at the beginning of the graduation ceremony at Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Order this photo]

Pete Souphom of Shelbyville Fire Department was one of 22 graduates of the 22nd graduating class at Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy on Friday.

Pete Souphom (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The academy, operated by Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, is located on Unionville-Deason Road.

Tennessee Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance Leslie Newman, who serves as the state fire marshal, praised the facility. "What makes it truly great," said Newman, "is that this is where brave men and women come to gain instruction."

The 10-week recruit firefighter class teaches basic firefighting techniques through exercises and classroom instruction. The graduation ceremony began with a video and slide show depicting the course. Recruits came from 15 different fire departments, and there were two open enrollee recruits who have not yet been hired by a fire department.

Instructor Ed Hines, who was the master of ceremonies, invited friends and family members to view the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial, opened in September on the fire academy campus. The memorial includes the names of Tennessee firefighters killed in the line of duty.

"It is our goal at the academy to make sure that no names are ever added to that plaque," said Hines.

Walt Wood of the Shelbyville & Bedford County Chamber of Commerce presented the graduates with the "challenge coin" introduced at the last graduation ceremony in May. As with military challenge coins, recruits are expected to carry the coin with them from this point forward, and if one graduate finds another graduate not in possession of his coin he can challenge that person to perform a task as punishment.

State Rep. Pat Marsh receives a Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy challenge coin from Tennessee Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance Leslie Newman. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Newman presented a challenge coin to newly-elected State Rep. Pat Marsh. State Sen. Jim Tracy, also in attendance, received a coin during the ceremonies in May.

Daniel Clouse of Smyrna Fire Department was selected by his fellow class members to speak on behalf of the class. Anthony Fornicola of Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department was the class valedictorian.

Souphom, a native of Laos, is one of several members of his family in the fire service.

A color guard from Shelbyville Fire Department presented the U.S. and Tennessee flags at the beginning of the ceremony. The academy's executive director, Roger Hawks, welcomed those in attendance. Instructor Michael Newberry led the pledge of allegiance and chaplain Charlie Vance gave the invocation along with additional remarks.