MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The Myrtle Beach Fire Department graduated Recruit Class 28 on Friday morning. The class brings 20 new firefighters to the department.

Chief Alvin Payne says the group was chosen among 600 applicants. Payne says the department invited 200 applicants to test and through a series of written tests, physical agility tests and interviews narrowed it down to the class of 28.

The class started January 8th and since then the recruits completed more than 500 hours of training, classroom sessions, rescue training and learning the basics of becoming a firefighter.

Horry County Fire Chief Joseph Tanner was the keynote speaker at Friday’s graduation and says the class is now entering the real world where things can’t always be controlled.

“You’re going to have mechanical breakdowns with your equipment on the fire ground. You have to overcome that, you can’t just say ‘I quit.’ There is no quit here. There is absolutely no quit in what we do here. Each day, each call is going to be different. Your foundation will be your strength,” Tanner said.

During Friday’s ceremony, the class talked a lot about the brotherhood and how recently everyone had to come together during the loss of Conway Firefighter Christopher Ray who was killed in the line of duty last month.

“Class 28 stood together at his funeral to show his family that we may not be blood-related but he is one of us. Brotherhood is not just in the Myrtle Beach Fire Department. It stretches through South Carolina and throughout the country,” Graduate Timothy Bippus said.

It’s that bond that brought Joe Friedman from New Jersey to join the Myrtle Beach Fire Department. His dad is a firefighter of 42 years and his inspiration.

“He was kind of I think surprised that I had asked him to even pin me instead of my wife. He is the reason that I’m in this fire service. He’s the reason I love the fire service. I grew up around it because of him and I’m not sure I would’ve found my true passion if it wasn’t for him,” Friedman said.

His dad, Marc Friedman is now a volunteer firefighter and says he was glad to be there for his son today.

“Just how proud I was of what he’s done. I know how difficult this has been the last three months,” Marc said.

The firefighters are considered Probationary Firefighters for the next year. They have to complete a set of requirements like EMT certifications. Next January, they will become Certified Firefighters.