On Friday, June 14th, Palm Bay Fire Rescue completed the 8-week orientation phase for our latest new hire class. These 12 firefighters were brought on board to address current staffing needs and prepare for future station expansion. Despite facing intense Florida heat and severe drought conditions, they remained dedicated to their training. Collectively, the group invested over 300 hours in guided sessions, completed 12 hours of physical training in full gear, participated in 20 live-fire drills, spent 147 hours on air, deployed nearly 9 miles of hose, executed 5900 feet of ladder raises/extensions, and successfully forced open 396 doors. The establishment of our new stand-alone training division significantly contributed to the success of this new hire cohort. With shift assignments in place, they are poised to advance their careers in the fire service.