Four from this area can count themselves as new firefighter training graduates.

Among the 104-member class, Timothy Bloom and Frank Chiarulli are with the Chappaqua Fire Department. Two graduates, Michael Johnston and Matthew Pucila, are with Mount Kisco's fire department.

The class graduated on Wednesday night at a ceremony in Valhalla, at Westchester County's Department of Emergency Services.

“Obviously it takes a great deal of special knowledge to be a firefighter,” County Executive Rob Astorino was quoted in a press release as telling them. “More importantly, it takes a special kind of person: the kind of person who puts his neighbors and community first; the kind of person who puts himself or herself in harm’s way to save life and property.”

All of the recruits went through an 87-hour program, followed by a 9-hour survival course. In total, 40 fire departments in the region had graduates this December.