MSFA Firefighter Class 209 includes firefighters from Hernando, Olive Branch

Twenty-four members of the Mississippi State Fire Academy’s Firefighter Class 209 will graduate from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 Firefighter I-II course held at the Mississippi State Fire Academy in Jackson.

Graduation will be held on campus in the Auditorium at 10 a.m. on Thursday May 23, at the Academy, located at #1 Fire Academy USA, in Jackson. The ceremony will be open to the public.

Two of the graduating firefighters come from DeSoto County. They are Destin Chase Wages of the Hernando Fire Department and Zachary Zee of the Olive Branch Fire Department  

This intense seven-week course includes online, classroom, and hands-on instruction in the areas of fire behavior, fire suppression, rescue, incident command, hazardous materials, and other fire related topics. This course meets and exceeds the National Fire Protection Association for Firefighter Qualifications and the uniform minimum training standards stated in the Mississippi Code section 45-11-7.

The Mississippi State Fire Academy is a division of the Mississippi Insurance Department. State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney and Academy Executive Director Kelly Elliott believe these firefighters will be an asset to the fire departments they represent. “We are confident the immediate impact and positive difference these firefighters will make, not only within their departments but also in their communities, will truly be substantial.” said Director Elliott.

Following is the list of those graduating: