After months of backbreaking training and intense testing, Minneapolis has a new crop of firefighters.
Smiles and cheers in the audience, serious faces on those with an even more serious job on stage. 18 cadets in dress whites awaiting their hard-earned badges that Minneapolis Fire Chief Brian Tyner says represent a long and arduous journey and the ultimate in trust.
A trust that has been built up over decades and even over a century around the world," says Tyner. "You go around the world, people trust a firefighter."
Mayor Jacob Frey acknowledged the support systems that got them to this point.
"It's a whole family worth of incredible people that have decided to embark on this journey together," says Frey.
Graduates have already been assigned to one of 19 Minneapolis fire stations and will start their work in the next few days.
"The journey to become a Minneapolis firefighter is a long and arduous one," said Tyner, addressing the graduating class on Monday.
Frey teld the group the job carries more than just the physical skills they've honed over the past several months.
"When people are watching what you're doing, you've got to be doing it with compassion," the mayor explained. "You've got to not just abide by the rules, but also making sure that you're setting an example for so many others to follow."
Frey calls the Minneapolis Fire Department the best in the entire country.