Mayor Ras J. Baraka, the Newark Municipal Council, Fire Chief James W. Stewart, and Fire Chief John G. Centanni will welcome the 42 recruits of the Newark Fire Department’s 44th Recruit Class into the Newark Fire Academy on Monday, October 27, at 10 a.m., at St. Lucy’s Church.
The new class includes a married couple, Cesar and Veronica Gray, and a second female, Aida L. Villalongo. The married couple and two females are both firsts in the Newark Fire Department’s history. In addition, the Department will promote four Captains into their ranks at the ceremony. Battalion Chief Raul Malave will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
“We are making Newark a safer City by adding 42 courageous men and women to the ranks of our Fire Department and making it a leading City by swearing in our first married couple on the Fire Department,” said Mayor Baraka. “Public Safety is a centerpiece of my administration. We must provide our Fire Department with the men and women they need to give the residents of Newark the fire protection they deserve, and I am proud to do so. These men and women will define by example the transformation we are making in Newark to create a City we can all believe in.”
“Being a Firefighter is not a job,” said Director Stewart, “It is a calling. Every man and woman in this class has answered the call and chosen a life that will give them opportunities, to be heroes in their own neighborhoods, protect our streets, and most of all, to save lives. I thank you for answering that call, and congratulate every new member of the Newark Fire Department family. I also want to thank the families who are the support system for our new recruits. You young men and women are the best of the best, and we welcome you.”
“I can remember the day I entered from the Fire Academy, and I am proud and excited today to see a new generation continuing the traditions of service, courage, and professionalism that define the greatest Fire Department in the world. You will receive the best training from the finest instructors, in the greatest Fire Academy in the world. Listen to what they tell you, learn the procedures, and study hard. Welcome aboard,” said Chief Centanni.
