Jeffersonville, NY — February 28th — Along with sixteen firemen from agencies in Sullivan and Ulster Counties, nine firefighters from the Jeffersonville Fire Department finished the Basic Wildland Fire Suppression training. Members were trained to safely respond to wildland and brush fires, which are frequent in the area's rural areas. Building and maintaining fire lines, using hand tools, controlling vegetation fires safely, and fire behavior were all addressed in the training.

While operating in both open and wooded areas, firefighters also evaluated situational awareness, crew coordination, and communication. When the foliage dries up and the wind picks up, brush fires frequently happen in the early spring and fall. Such training guarantees that firefighters can function safely during rapidly spreading outdoor fires and helps departments become more prepared.