16 graduate from fire academy MIDDLETOWN - Sixteen local residents graduated from the Middletown Fire Academy Nov. 18, and are now expected to provide firefighting services in five area municipalities, including the township. The initial training to become a firefighter requires about 150 hours over a four-month period. Since 1974, the Firefighter 1 course has been given at the academy, located on Normandy Road. Initial and continuing training is provided annually to about 400 Middletown firefighters and 350 firefighters from 55 other municipalities. Outside agencies pay a fee to defray operating costs associated with running the facility. The graduates are: Christopher Butkowski, John Fowler Jr., Joseph Glynn, Nicholas Perret, Christopher Rohweder, George Stanley and Christopher Stenger of the Middletown Fire Department, Joseph DeSandolo of the Keyport Fire Department, Aidan Dullard, Brian Kopf, Christopher Kopf and Russell Surdi of the Holmdel Fire & Rescue 2, Gordon Haskell and Matthew McDonough of the Fair Haven Fire Department, Derek Savoca of the Tinton Falls Fire Department, and Arthur Weimer of Atlantic Highlands Fire Department.