The Suffolk Fire Department recently increased its manpower when 14 graduates of the Southside Regional Fire Academy joined the teams of fire fighters stationed across the city.

Capt. Jim Judkins said the 13 males and one female graduate were part of the group of 24 who dubbed themselves the &uot;Towers of Power.&uot;

While the graduates of the fire academy will all report to Suffolk fire stations across the city, they come from various locations as well as Suffolk.

Mary Elizabeth Wherry, 29, is from Suffolk. Other locals include George Best, 23, Charles Chapin, 30, Douglas Hatfield, 32, and Steven Henkle, 25.

Other graduates included Anthony Carello, 33 of Virginia Beach; James Carter Jr. 27, of Chesapeake; Jason Dougherty, 19, from Chesapeake; Joseph Edwards, 22, of Snow Hill, N.C.; Les Lemasters, 30, of Portsmouth; Charles Mullen, 30, from Carrollton, James Smith, 29, of Sedley, and Roger Stinnette Jr., 23 of Portsmouth.

In the hometown graduates, Henkle scored honorable mention for his grade point average at the fire academy, and Chapin took first place in fire skills.

Also, Carter took second place in physical fitness skills at the academy, Stinnette took second place for his fire fighting techniques, and Smith received third place for his fire fighting skills.

This graduating class marked the 27th of Southside Regional Fire Academy and they took part in a ceremony at Nansemond River High School at which time they officially became fire fighters for the Suffolk Fire Department.