40 Austin Fire cadets graduate, department expects to be fully staffed by 2026

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new class of Austin Fire Department cadets graduated Friday morning, the first class to do so after the deadly July Fourth weekend floods across Central Texas.

AFD helped out with search and rescue efforts in the Austin area as well as Kerr County.

After 28 weeks of intense physical training, 40 cadets graduated from AFD's Class 139.

"When I was a young boy, my dad was in a boating accident, and by the quick thinking and actions of an off-duty firefighter, he's still with us today," cadet and now firefighter Chase Horam said.

It's personal stories like his that led Horam and others to become firefighters. And it's a moment, perhaps, more profound, as cadets step into their new role after Texas' devastating and deadly floods.

"Our special operations section does have a portion of their training, it's very intense with swift water rescue, and we have teams that can deploy around the state or deploy here in Central Texas," AFD Assistant Chief Tom Vockey said.

According to Vockey, this has been part of the training for cadets. However, it was recently put into action when AFD deployed boat crews, swimmers and other resources to help with search and rescue after the floods.

"Members can eventually join the special operations battalion," Vockey said. "In that case, they get additional swift water training."

Lives were saved, but countless others were lost. Yet the mission of AFD's Class 139 remains evident: upholding their duty to serve their community.

"It's been a very long road," Horam said.

Cadets who graduated Friday will continue as probationary firefighters for the next 24 weeks, starting their full shifts as early as Sunday, according to AFD.

AFD told KXAN it now has 50 vacancies and expects to be fully staffed by 2026.