Joe Yeakley Will Speak at Fire Academy No. 94 Graduation
Posted/updated on: March 25, 2015 at 5:31 pm
KILGORE — A special guest will be on hand when Kilgore College Fire Academy No. 94 holds its graduation ceremony tonight. Guest speaker will be firefighter Joe Yeakley of Lindale, who was the recipient of the Star of Texas Award in September from former Gov. Rick Perry. The award is given annually by the governor to honor peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical first responders who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.
In January of 2014, Yeakley was burned over half of his body when a roof collapsed on him while on a call with the Lindale Fire Department. He spent more than 10 months in a Dallas hospital recovering and received a hero’s welcome upon returning home to Lindale in November. The graduation is set for 6:30 this evening at the Bert E. Woodruff Adult Education Center Auditorium in Kilgore. The general public and all area fire departments are invited to attend the ceremony. There are 13 candidates for graduation.
