Peninsula Regional Fire Academy Class 261 sworn in; recruits begin assignments across Newport News and James City County

The Peninsula Regional Fire Academy’s Class 261 graduated in a ceremony at Woodside High School, where recruits from Newport News and James City County were pinned, received academic honors and took the firefighter’s oath.

Marcus Jury, a captain with the City of Newport News Fire Department, opened the ceremony and introduced the academy leadership and recruit class. Captain Candy House performed the national anthem, and Dr. Sandra Cherry gave the invocation. Newport News Fire Chief Wesley Rogers congratulated the graduates and emphasized the program’s rigor, calling the academy “one of the toughest programs in the nation” and praising the instructor cadre for long hours preparing recruits for the job.

"This is something to be excited about. This is a great time for these young recruits as they start on their career," Chief Rogers said, noting that the program is a multi‑jurisdictional effort that prepares firefighters and firefighter‑medics for frontline service.

Nicholas Rivers, class president for PRFA 261, thanked instructors, family members and the department, described the physical and academic demands of the training and said his classmates were ready to begin their assignments. "I'm proud of everyone firstly for pursuing such an honorable profession and secondly for sticking it out through all the challenges to be able to put yourself in the position to be here today," Rivers said.

During the pinning portion of the ceremony, presenters announced initial station assignments for recruits across Newport News and James City County. Examples announced at the ceremony included Brandon Brady assigned to Station 1 Bravo and Luke Dunlap assigned to Station 6 Bravo; Nolan Henson was announced as assigned to Station 2 Charlie. The ceremony listed assignments for the full graduating class before concluding the pinning portion.

Instructors also recognized academic achievement. The academy described its 24‑week curriculum as including more than 25 quizzes, 10 exams and numerous Virginia Department of Fire Programs state tests totaling more than 2,700 questions. The class cumulative GPA was presented as 97.3 percent. Jameson Scott received the valedictorian award for the fire training portion; Nathan Moran received the EMT valedictorian award with a reported EMT GPA of 91.9 percent.

Lieutenant A.J. Daniels led recruits in the firefighter’s oath, in which graduates pledged to support and uphold the U.S. Constitution, the Commonwealth of Virginia and department regulations and to protect lives and property. Chaplain Snare offered a benediction asking for safety and wisdom for the new firefighters.

The ceremony closed with an invitation to a reception hosted by the Citizens Fire Academy alumni for refreshments and photographs. Lieutenant David Harris dismissed the class and invited the graduates to the stage for pictures.

The graduates will begin their assignments at their announced stations in Newport News and James City County. The departments did not announce individual reporting dates during the ceremony.