Tulsa Fire Department graduation

Friday, October 15th 2004, 3:53 pm

By: News On 6

Some relief is in sight for the Tulsa Fire Department. After struggling with a lack of personnel and limited hiring budget. The department is taking on 39 new recruits. After 14 weeks of training, the cadets graduated this afternoon in a larger than usual class.

When he met his first firefighter, Josh Atterberry found his calling.

Josh Atterberry: "They all had kind of the same character and everybody had the same qualities and traits, it's just a really cool thing."

It's a journey inspired by his brother-in-law and others at the department, for more than three months they prepared to respond to anything.

We caught up with the class in one final training exercise.

"We're gonna file across, so you two need to be flanked up front."

For one of the biggest moments in their lives.

Josh Atterberry: â€œIt's really awsome, it's kind of a brotherhood, it's respect and it's joking and it's comraderie, just a blast all the time, it's like brothers."

But sometimes, things get serious, a fact always in the mind of a firefighter.

Josh Atterberry: "Safety, going home to my family, to my wife and my child and making sure I cover myself and I cover my brothers."

Knowing the danger, what makes a person rise to the challenge, risking their own life for others??

Josh Atterberry: "I think it's the adrenaline and the satisfaction of helping people, it's the unknown, you come in every day and something new's gonna happen."

This day is one to celebrate.

"I'm looking forward to getting a badge and riding on the big red truck and just being out there with the guys, learning something new from someone more experienced than me, just growing into a better fireman, a better man."