Graduation is supposed to be a time to look towards the future, but during Monday's celebration, the 286 probationary firefighters who joined the FDNY's ranks were wondering what kind of future they'll have in the department.

With tough economic times ahead, cuts are on the way.

"Given our budget demands, we don't know when we're going to have another class," said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta.

In other words, the last probie class of 2008 could be the last we'll see for a while. In the first round of budget cuts, the new class that was scheduled to start next month was postponed indefinitely.

Last week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered a second round of budget cuts.

Scoppetta and the city's other agency heads were told to slash an additional seven percent.

Commissioner Scoppetta said a careful analysis of the FDNY's resources is underway as the department examines all its options.

"I think you have to say that everything's on the table. We already cut $66 million and we're going to have to cut another $95 million from our budget. That's very tough with an agency like this that is virtually its entire budget," said Scoppetta.

"Even though I think we all know we're going to go through some very difficult times and each agency is going to have to tighten its belt accordingly," said Bloomberg. "We will never sacrifice safety, because nothing means more to us than making sure that each and every one of you return home safely to your loved ones at the end of the day."

The FDNY has already announced other severe cost-cutting moves including the elimination of overnight hours at four fire companies and the closing of a company on Governor's Island which is expected to save more than $8.5 million.

"We haven't gotten to the point of contemplating layoffs. That is a very last resort. That did happen in the 70's, we don't want it to happen here," said Scoppetta.

Probies didn't necessarily want to spend their graduation day talking about budget cuts, but some of them couldn't help but think about the impact.

"There's a lot of other people out there just like me who want to become firefighters, and I really want them to have that experience," said Alen Diop, a probie firefighter.

In the meantime, others remained optimistic in the face of a dire financial forecast.

"It's kind of bad, but you got to hold on, stay strong and continue to do what we got to do to keep New York great," said Probationary Firefighter Terry LaFontant.

Monday's ceremony was also an emotional one for many new firefighters dealing with the loss of one of their own.

Jamel Sears, 33, a member of this probationary class, collapsed during a training exercise on Randall's Island last month.

Sears' wife and two young children accepted his diploma on his behalf. The class also set aside an empty seat in his honor.

"You've already shown that you have the best of the firefighters spirit when you experience a crisis that most members don't face until well into their careers, if at all. You lost one of your brothers," said Scoppetta.

Sears, a four-year Navy veteran, joined the fire department in July.

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