Edwardsburg Fire Department hosted the Cass County Firefighter I and Firefighter II training classes this year while the Dowagiac Fire Department hosted Officer I and Officer II classes at the same time. Both classes started in October and ended May 1.
Firefighter I and Firefighter II qualifies them for their state certification in Michigan.
Graduation for these classes will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at Edwardsburg Fire Department.
According to Vince Vargo, captain of training at the Edwardsburg Fire Department, the new firefighters were recruited and required to attend the classes to become qualified into the system.
This is the first year graduation will be held at Edwardsburg, said Vargo, as it is usually held at Dowagiac. It is also the first year Vargo has been course manager for the class.
He said it is held every year as recruits join the department. It is made up of firefighters throughout Cass County, and a couple of firefighters came from Decatur and Paw Paw.
Vargo said the new recruits are now qualified for fire fighting, vehicle extrication, emergency vehicle operation and hazardous materials operation. There are 26 firefighters on the Edwardsburg Department. Although there are no new members on the department this year, three or four are expected next year.