New graduates from Pikes Peak Fire Academy filling recruitment holes for Black Forest, Monument

MONUMENT, Colo. (KRDO) - On Friday, 15 new graduates received badges to work in Black Forest Fire and Rescue and the Monument Fire Protection District in the first graduation from Pikes Peak Regional Fire Academy.

The Academy is a unique collaboration between the two fire departments and Pikes Peak State College to fill a hole in recruitment for both fire departments.

"When we show up for mutual aid,  we're all speaking the same language. So if we train together in the beginning,  we're going to run together better on incidents," Johnathan Bradley with Monument Fire said.

Monument Fire is looking to fill 15 new positions over the next few years, according to fire officials there.

"Graduates are a year to hire a firefighter and then [during] the next two years of their service, they're learning the ins and outs of the job.  So this particular academy allows us to stay on track," Bradley said.

Connor Parker is one of the new recruits working for the Monument Fire Protection District. He says the interview, recruitment, and 16-week training process was rigorous, but he joined because he found purpose in the work.

"I wanted to be there to help others who are experiencing, you know, their house burning down or help people at their worst," Parker said.

Leaders at the academy said that only 10 percent of applicants to the program were accepted after an interview process that lasted a couple of months. The program is looking for character qualities such as humility and teamwork, qualities that require a "robust" process to find.

"Graduating these 15 individuals just bolsters the staffing model for those agencies so they can have the right number of firefighters on duty every day to combat. What we're getting into could be a dangerous wildland season," Jamie Gutschick, the Academy Director said.