The Anchorage-Middletown Fire Department celebrated 16 new graduates Monday after they completed a rigorous 27-week training academy. The class is one of the department’s most diverse in recent years, including two Black men, two Hispanic men and one woman. Three of the new firefighters also bring military experience, having previously served in the U.S. armed forces.
Chelsea Estes, one of the graduates, said she had always dreamed of being a firefighter but didn’t fully believe she could. “I’d see women doing the job on TV, but I never fully believed I could,” Estes said. “Then I met women in the fire service who showed me it was possible and they helped me build the confidence to do it myself.”
Department officials praised all 16 graduates for their dedication, teamwork and commitment as they prepare to join firehouses across the district.
