Eight paramedics will join one of the busiest EMS systems in the country when they graduate on March 5 from the Philadelphia Fire Academy.

The cadets of Class 36 are state-certified paramedics who applied to join the Philadelphia Fire Department, which responded to nearly 750 EMS incidents per day in fiscal year 2018.

The eight weeks of training included lessons on basic vehicle rescue; how to treat children who are seriously ill or injured; and how to respond during active shooter incidents.

“As you leave the Fire Academy, remember to let dedication and service guide your work,” said Assistant Deputy Commissioner for EMS Crystal Yates. “You will certainly save lives, have great experiences and create lifelong friendships.”

The graduates will start their PFD careers riding along with a paramedic mentor — known as a preceptor — to gain several weeks of field experience to add to the classroom learning they’ve just completed.

“We all came in with different expectations and goals of what we would get out of our time at the Academy, but ultimately we came together to relish the learning and training of the last eight weeks, and are eager to serve the City of Philadelphia,” the cadets said in a statement.

Their class motto: “Dedicated to Our Brothers and Sisters in Service of Others.”