Gwinnett Citizen Fire Academy Alumni Association

10/02/2026

🚨 CLASS #40 CHECK-IN: A NIGHT AT 911! 🚨

Last night, CFA Class #40 stepped behind the scenes at the Gwinnett County 911 Center to learn about one of the most critical links in our community’s emergency response system.

When we think about an emergency, we often picture the firefighters, police officers, or paramedics arriving on scene. But long before those first responders arrive, a 911 call sets an entire response into motion.

During their visit, Class #40 learned more about what happens on the other side of that emergency call and the important role the 911 Center plays in connecting people in crisis with the help they need.

📞 What happens when you dial 911?
The class gained insight into how emergency calls are received, how information is gathered and processed, and how the appropriate emergency resources are dispatched.

🚒 From the call to the response
Students learned how information from a caller helps emergency personnel understand what they may be facing before they even arrive. Accurate information—and clear communication—can make a critical difference.

🎧 The people behind the calls
911 communications professionals work in a fast-paced environment where every call can be different and every second matters. Their ability to remain focused, gather important information, communicate with responders, and coordinate resources is an essential part of public safety.

🤝 Public safety is a team effort
The 911 Center is an important connection point between the community and the many public-safety professionals who respond to emergencies. Class #40 got to see another side of the system they will encounter throughout their Citizens Fire Academy experience.

And perhaps one of the biggest takeaways?

There is so much more to emergency response than what we see when the fire truck arrives. 🚒

A huge THANK YOU to the Gwinnett County 911 team for welcoming Class #40 and helping them better understand the people, technology, communication, and teamwork that go into answering the call when our community needs help.

Class #40, your journey continues—and you're getting a closer look at the many people who work together to keep Gwinnett County safe!

A special shout out to a class member that shared her photos with us. ❤️‍🔥

09/29/2026

Sign up for Alert Gwinnett today: GwinnettCounty.com/AlertGwinnett.
Tag a friend or family member who needs to sign up too!

Would you know if an emergency was happening near your home, workplace, or child’s school?

Alert Gwinnett delivers official weather and emergency notifications directly from the Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service.

Residents can receive alerts by text or phone, choose the types of notifications they want and select the locations that matter most to their households.

Don’t wait until an emergency happens to find out what’s happening. Take a few minutes during National Preparedness Month to sign up and stay connected.

Sign up for Alert Gwinnett today: GwinnettCounty.com/AlertGwinnett.

Tag a friend or family member who needs to sign up too!

09/26/2026

🚨 CHECKING IN ON CFA CLASS #40! 🚨

Class #40 is diving deeper into the world of Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services — and this class is anything but ordinary! 🔥🚒

This action-filled night at the Gwinnett Fire Training Center gave our CFA participants an up-close look at the highly trained Special Teams that respond when emergencies require specialized skills, equipment, and teamwork.

💥 HAZMAT TEAM
From natural gas leaks and gasoline spills to chemical accidents and other hazardous substance incidents, the Hazmat Team is trained to respond when dangerous materials are involved. The team is based at Station 20.

🚑 EMERGENCY MEDICAL MASS CASUALTY SERVICES
Class #40 learned about the specialized resources and response capabilities used when an emergency involves a large number of patients.

🌊 SWIFT WATER RESCUE
When water becomes the emergency, specialized training and equipment are critical. The Swift Water Rescue Team, based at Station 14, is prepared for challenging water rescue situations.

🧗 TECHNICAL RESCUE
This team handles some of the most complex rescue situations — including trench rescues, high-angle rescues, water rescues, vehicle extrication, and building collapses.

And behind every one of these specialized responses is something Class #40 is learning firsthand:

Training. Teamwork. Skill. Courage. Dedication. ❤️‍🔥

Look at Class #40 in action! 📸

Your journey is just getting started, Class #40 — and we're excited to see where it takes you!

🔥 KEEP LEARNING. KEEP SERVING. KEEP THE FIRE BURNING! 🔥

09/19/2026

🌩️ BECOME A TRAINED STORM SPOTTER! 🌪️
Have you ever wanted to learn how to recognize severe weather and help keep your community safe? Here's a great opportunity to learn from the experts at the National Weather Service (NWS) Peachtree City/Atlanta!
📢 FREE VIRTUAL BASIC STORM SPOTTER TRAINING — OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
NWS meteorologists will be hosting several virtual training sessions to teach you the basics of severe weather spotting and reporting. Whether you're interested as an individual, part of a neighborhood group, community organization, or public safety team, everyone is welcome!
🌪️ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
✔️ Recognizing severe weather
✔️ Storm spotting basics
✔️ How to report severe weather
✔️ Important information to help protect your community
📅 UPCOMING VIRTUAL TRAINING SESSIONS:
🔹 Tuesday, September 29 — 11:00 AM EDT
👉 REGISTER FOR SEPTEMBER 29 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/233758829218244694
🔹 Wednesday, October 14 — 6:00 PM EDT
👉 REGISTER FOR OCTOBER 14 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/regi.../4199428989769113947
🔹 Wednesday, October 21 — 11:00 AM EDT
👉 REGISTER FOR OCTOBER 21 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/regi.../6996835060459143253
⏰ Classes are approximately 2 hours, followed by a Q&A session.
💙 BEST OF ALL — TRAINING IS FREE!
Please share this information with your family, friends, neighbors, community groups, and anyone who would benefit from learning how to recognize and report severe weather.
Together, we can help make our communities safer! 🌩️
📍 MORE INFORMATION & SKYWarn RESOURCES:
https://www.weather.gov/ffc/skywarn... See less

09/18/2026

CLASS #40 — YOUR JOURNEY HAS BEGUN! 🔥

What an action-packed first night for Gwinnett County Fire Citizen's Academy Class #40!

Last night, our class members headed to the Fire Academy Training Center, where the learning became hands-on and the excitement was just beginning!

They had the opportunity to:
🧯 Learn about the Jaws of Life and how this important rescue tool is used.
🚒 Discover the parts of a fire hydrant and learn how to connect a fire truck to the hydrant.
🫁 Experience suiting up with breathing apparatus and oxygen tanks.
⛑️ And, of course, look absolutely awesome in their firefighter helmets!

Class #40, your journey has officially begun! We hope you enjoy the ride, embrace every learning experience, and make memories that last a lifetime. We can't wait to see what comes next! ❤️‍🔥

Welcome to the adventure, Class #40! 🚒🔥

A special thank you to a class member who shared their photos with us.

09/17/2026

Stay Low and Go!

Calling all junior safety heroes!
Parents and teachers, let the Safety Pals help bring important fire and life-safety lessons to your children and students!
We’ve combined age-appropriate safety messages with fun stories and engaging activities that make learning easy and exciting.
Once you sign up, all you have to do is press play and let Chief Spot and the Safety Pals take it from there!
Watch the available seasons and turn safety education into an adventure your young learners will remember.
Visit the Safety Pals today: GwinnettCounty.com/SafetyPals. See less

To learn more about the Safety Pals please click on the original post.

09/13/2026

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY FALL FESTIVAL! 🚒🍂

What a wonderful day we had yesterday!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to see us at the 17th Annual Public Safety Fall Festival—and especially to all of you who braved the downpour! ☔️🌧️ Your support and enthusiasm meant so much to us.

We hope everyone enjoyed getting up close with the fire trucks, equipment, and vehicles on display and having the opportunity to touch, explore, and experience the equipment our public safety professionals use every day. 🚒

🔥 The Safety Smoke House provided an important hands-on experience, teaching children and families how to safely escape a house fire. These are lessons we hope you never have to use, but they are so important to learn.

🎭 Our NEW Puppet Show was also a BIG hit! We loved seeing the smiles and excitement from our youngest visitors—and even those who are young at heart! ❤️

❤️‍🩹 And then there was CPR!

A very special THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to learn or practice CPR. Some had never tried CPR before, while others were getting a refresher. Every person who took those few minutes to learn a potentially lifesaving skill made a difference.

Let's just say... we gave those mannequins quite a workout! 💪❤️‍🩹

And we can't forget some of our very youngest visitors—our future firefighters! 👩‍🚒👨‍🚒🚒 Their excitement was absolutely priceless!

We are so grateful to everyone who spent part of their Saturday with us, supported our public safety community, and helped make this year's festival such a memorable event.

THANK YOU, Gwinnett County! We appreciate you! ❤️

09/11/2026

🔥 WELCOME, CFA CLASS #40! 🔥

Last night, a new chapter began as CFA Class #40 gathered at Fire Headquarters for Welcome & Orientation Night—and what a welcome they received!

The class was honored to be welcomed by Gwinnett County Fire Chief Fred Cephas, along with other members of the Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services family who were introduced and shared a little about the important work they do every day to keep our community safe.

And this is just the beginning! 👨‍🚒🚒

Over the coming weeks, Class #40 will have the opportunity to learn, experience, and get hands-on with so many areas of fire and emergency services, including:

🚒 Swiftwater Rescue & Hands-Only CPR
🔥 Tools, Water Supply, Fire Hose & Search & Rescue
🚨 TRT-GSAR & Fire Inspections
📞 911 Tour & Fire Investigations
🧯 Fire & Medical Drills
☣️ Hazmat
🪜 SRU, Ladder Bucket & Fire Extinguisher Training

There is a lot to learn, see, experience—and maybe even a few surprises along the way!

To the newest members of the Citizens Fire Academy family:

Welcome, Class #40! 🎉

We are excited to have you with us and can't wait to watch you learn, grow, ask questions, get hands-on, and discover the incredible work that goes on behind the scenes every day.

Your CFA journey has officially begun!

Welcome to the family, Class #40!

09/11/2026

9/11 Remembrance — Patriot Day

Today, we pause to remember September 11, 2001 — a day that changed our nation forever.

We remember the innocent lives lost, the families forever changed, and the heroes who ran toward danger while others were running away.

We honor the firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, military members, and everyday citizens who showed extraordinary courage and compassion in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Their courage will always be remembered.
Their stories will continue to inspire generations to come.

Today, we remember all of our fallen heroes and hold their families and loved ones in our hearts.

🇺🇸 We Remember. We Honor. We Will Never Forget.