Okotoks Fire & Rescue held a recruit graduation ceremony last week.

Seven new full-time members and two community firefighters took the oath and joined the ranks on August 2.

Katelyn Barsi, one of the nine new members, joins the town after a year-long position with Merritt Fire & Rescue in B.C. 

She originally hails from Kennedy, Saskatchewan, and is already getting a feel for Okotoks.

"I chose Okotoks because I love being close to the mountains, I love the small hometown feel of Okotoks... It's a place I see myself living for a long time, which is what I was looking for when I was choosing my career department."

Her time at the Okotoks Department has been pretty positive.

"So far, the first six weeks I've been here, everybody's been super welcoming, super accommodating, they're really eager to help you learn and to make sure you're the best firefighter you can be."

An image gallery can be seen below/