Ohio Fire Academy celebrates newest class of EMT graduates
The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal’s (SFM's) Ohio Fire Academy celebrates its first EMT graduating class of 2025. A special graduation ceremony took place last week on SFM’s campus in Reynoldsburg.
The 19 graduates successfully completed the Academy’s rigorous six-week, 166-hour training program, showcasing dedication and determination to join the ranks of Ohio’s firefighters and EMTs.
This class of graduates represents communities throughout Ohio and across the region. Of the 19 graduates, 17 represent communities in Ohio, and two are from Indiana. A complete list of graduates and their hometowns is available at https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/com.ohio.gov/SFM/EMT_February_….
“We always look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our graduates,” said State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon. “This group should be proud of what they have accomplished, and we look forward to seeing them return to their communities where they will use lessons learned here to help change lives for the better. It’s a privilege to equip these men and women with the education, knowledge and skills they need to save and protect lives.”
Graduate Kristina Vidziunas of Stow, Ohio plans to return to the Ohio Fire Academy later this year to take a 10-week firefighter class.
“It was really an awesome experience,” she said. “We were able to see what’s going to happen day to day as an EMT or first responder. We really learned a lot and I’m very excited to get started on the next steps, which will be starting fire school.”
Kasey Swank of Butler, Ohio also graduated. He returned to the Ohio Fire Academy after graduating with Firefighter Class 239 in November 2024.
“Both experiences were great,” he said. “This class was fast, but it was a lot of fun. The instructors did a great job of making sure that, even though the class is at an accelerated pace, we got all of the information we needed.”
These 19 graduates will now join the ranks of first responders in their communities.
The graduation ceremony was livestreamed on the State Fire Marshal’s Facebook page.
Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.