NY 1

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta presided over the graduation ceremony.

The probationary firefighters or "probies" will be assigned to various fire houses throughout the city.

The mayor said the graduation is especially significant coming a day after the fifth anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

"When the rest of us are running away from danger, you run into danger, and because of that you deserve a very special place in the hearts of all New Yorkers," he said.

The graduating class is entering the field just one month after the department said it was changing its entrance requirements in the hopes of expanding the diversity of its ranks.

Fifteen percent of this class are minorities, and there was one woman graduate. Less than three percent of the department is black, and women make up less than one percent.

A new class of firefighters joined the ranks of New York's bravest Tuesday, but they were reminded of the dangers of the career they have chosen. NY1's Dean Meminger says many of them trained with a firefighter who was killed just weeks after he graduated. He filed the following report.

With a special FDNY chant, these graduating firefighters are ready to hit the street to battle fires and save lives.

"It's an unbelievable feeling. I still don't think I got out," said probie Clifford Diaz.

The 13-week Fire Department training academy is described as the most difficult obstacle many of them have ever faced. Although it was a time to celebrate, it was also a time to face the realities of how dangerous the job is. The mayor spoke about veteran Lt. Howard Carpluk and probationary fire fighter Michael Reilly, who died battling a Bronx fire in a 99 cent store last month. Reilly had graduated just eight weeks earlier.

"Firefighter Reilly was in the last class that I addressed right here in this auditorium," said Bloomberg. "I shook his hand and took a picture with him. You have a dangerous job and we appreciate that."

This class raised $3,000 for the families of Carpluk and Reilly.

"That's just what firefighters do - take care of each other's family and make sure that even when something happens that they're taken care of," says probie John Norman. "Three thousand dollars wasn't much, but it is what we could do for the families."

The Fire Department is considered one big family. In fact many in this class are following in the footsteps of their firefighter fathers. The fire commissioner says that's good news. He also says the department is continuing to grow in diversity. Fifteen percent of these 175 probationary firefighters are people of color.

There are 17 Hispanics, five blacks and four Asians.

"We will continue to do the recruiting and increase the pool of minorities that apply," says Scoppetta. "That's the secret: we've just got to increase the pool that apply and we will have a more diverse department."

Also in this graduating class one female firefighter who is very excited about getting on the job.

Jackie-Michelle Martinez received the loudest applause as she walked across the stage.

"It is the greatest job in the world. You help people, you take care of people," said Martinez.

The firefighters will be going to fire houses around the city. And we wish them a successful and a safe career.