 Greetings to the members of Firefighter Recruit Class 2001 of the Columbia Richland Fire Department. It is my great honor to address all of you this morning as each of you prepares to begin your crucial duty of keeping our citizens safe. First, I want to extend to all of you a heartfelt congratulations. That sentiment is meant for each firefighter and your family members and those who are a part of your support system. What you all have achieved over these last 18 weeks is nothing short of incredible and should be celebrated in the highest sense. The hours of work that each of you have put in to reach this graduation is a testament not only to your virtues, but your desires to help others. You should all be very proud. I for one have pride in this group, knowing some of the fine details about it. Particularly seeing you in action the day I visited you at Fire Station 3, which also serves as your department's training facility. I can admit it now, but would not have shown it then. I was a bit nervous for you and praying for the safety of each one of you. I knew you were in the best of hands, being trained by the best, but my heart also skips a beat when I see you all in action. As a citizen of Columbia and Richland County, I am grateful. I am proud that many of you are recruited from right here in the state of South Carolina. Some of you I understand are also second generation firefighters. I'm also proud of the women in this recruit class, all five of you. And I also understand we have a married couple graduating today. That is absolutely awesome. All of you come from different backgrounds, different places and different walks of life. But over the past 18 weeks, you have been moving together towards the same mission. You have become a small family, united by a common desire to serve your community and bring aid to people during their worst moments. As new firefighters, you are all becoming part of something that is greater than yourselves. You are joining a department and a city that has a firm unwavering commitment to serving others. We are counting on each of you to be part of our collective vision to provide the highest level of public safety services to our citizens. The positions you will hold are ones of responsibility and respect, but they also require making great sacrifices. That includes taking time away from your homes and having to miss moments with your families and loved ones. Ask your very own chief, Chief Aubrey D. Jenkins, who started his career as a recruit in Columbia. Not sure if I should say this, but 41 and a half years ago. Chief Jenkins is the epitome of sacrifice and placing others before self. But he is also an example that hard work pays off and can provide a stable, rewarding career, not just a job, but a career with a path of advancement. Thank you all for making the choice to put the needs of others ahead of your own and choosing such a noble profession. I salute each of you for making that decision and your class as a whole. We all know that this group faced a lot of challenges to get here. You trained during some of the hottest weeks of the year here in the Midlands. And of course, you also had to deal with conditions in our world that have been unprecedented. The threat of COVID-19 has forced us to do a lot of things differently, and your training was no exception. I commend all of your instructors at the department for working quickly to make adjustments so they can both teach you while taking steps to keep you safe. And I commend and thank each of you. Every single one of you is a shining star to me. Not only did you all have to do everything that was expected of you as recruits, but you also had to take steps to protect yourselves from this devastating virus. But despite all of the challenges in your way, you all made it. As I stated, you are shining examples of a resilient Columbia. Let me close my remarks by sharing this. As you look back on all of the obstacles you have faced to get to this point, smile. Pat yourselves on the back and simply exhale for a job well done. Those very obstacles have made your accomplishment today even more special. I personally, as well as our city of Columbia family and our many residents are incredibly proud of what you all have achieved. You have answered the call to serve your fellow man at a time when the need is even greater. Each of you makes our team stronger and we are stronger together. Thank you all and congratulations once again.