Graduation confirms success for Atlantic City fire recruits - NBC40.net

After eight weeks of training Atlantic City's thirteen newest fire fighters are finally graduating.

It's been eight weeks and they have seen it all. From fighting the blaze, to performing search and rescue's both in and out of the water.

But all of that training led to the moment that the recruits have been waiting all of their lives for.

"It's very surreal, I've always dreamed about this day, and this moment and now that that's here you don't know what you are supposed to feel," said recruit, Eric Koob.

"It's a dream growing up, being a fire fighter, riding the trucks, responding to calls and finally being able to make it is unreal."

Like Adrian Wilson who has wanted to be a first responder since he was two years old.

Each new member started their journey as a recruit and were sworn in to be an official member of the Atlantic City Fire Department.

"I feel like a little kid, they just gave us the big uniform to put on. When you are a kid walking into school you see the firemen all dressed up. So it's nice to have it all done and get our stuff," said recruit, Patrick McDevitt.

It's these kind of memories that recruit Mauro Sandoval hopes his two daughters will have of him.

"To know that ill always be there for them, and not only am I going to try harder for them," said Mauro Sandoval. "I'm actually giving an example for my daughters and am a man that my mom and my wife can count on."

And while the recruits will be assigned to six different Atlantic City stations, they say they have an unspoken bond that will help them achieve their goals as they step into their new uniforms that will define their lives.