KAYSVILLE—Another group of firefighters have graduated from Davis Technical College (Davis Tech) Firefighter Academy and are ready to hit the ground running to keep the community safe. The 23 graduates took part in a Challenge Coin Ceremony on Jan. 6. 

The Challenge Coin symbolizes their courage, honor, dedication and their experiences with each other while training. The graduates were also presented with the Maltese Cross.

“Today marks the end of the academy and beginning of your service,” said Murray City Chief Steven Roberson. “Today you earned the right to wear the Maltese Cross.”

The Maltese Cross is a well-respected honor that symbolizes bravery and sacrifice by firefighters.

Adam Hockstein started the program later in his career but earned the respect of his fellow classmates on the first day. “I was nominated and elected by the students to be Class Chief,” he said. “Most of the students I would say were 18 to 26, maybe a couple of 30-year-olds. I’m 42 so I was the eldest.” 

Hockstein said he got excited about becoming a firefighter because his partner’s father was a firefighter. “He got me interested.”

Before starting the Firefighter Academy, Hockstein was enrolled in Davis Tech’s EMT program. “I was just curious about fire and that was the first step. I knew I couldn’t really get into the fire program without my EMT.”

Davis Tech opened a new Emergency Services Training Lab last January 2025. The lab gives students the skills they need to save lives.

“It was really great to be able to have a couple different facilities to get hands-on experience,” said Hockstein. “The D5 facility at the Freeport Center gave us the chance to get our hands on the SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) equipment. It’s kind of like scuba but not underwater.”

SCBA is an essential tool for a firefighter, he said. “It keeps us safe when we have to go into smoke-filled conditions to rescue people. They had plenty of equipment like that so we were able to practice and really get good at using those tools.” 

Students were also able to use the Layton City fire tower for training, said Hockstein. “We were able to actually charge hoses with water because the D5 building was an indoor facility and we weren’t able to use charge hoses.”

 Hockstein said at the Layton tower they were able to actually charge the hoses off of a hydrant and run the water. “It gave me a good feel of what it was like to actually hold a hose to go into a burning building and what we would need to do to put that fire out and get people out safely.”

Graduate Ian Nicholson has already been hired by the Clinton City Fire Department. “I’m 19,” he said. “I pretty much started class right out of high school. My dad was in the fire service and was captain of the Tacoma Washington Department. Being around that and seeing that leadership and his actions – he served in 911 as well as the Oklahoma City bombing – really inspired me.”

“I really like connecting with people,” said Hockstein. “I think for me to be able to remain strong and calm in emergency situations when people are faced with some of the most difficult times of their life and in some of the most difficult situations that they will ever experience in their life that I can be someone that can be supportive for them and help carry them through that situation is what’s important to me.”