STAATSBURG, NY — February 21st — Under the direction of two New York State Forest Rangers, members of the West Clinton Fire District, located at 219 Hollow Road in Staatsburg, New York, finished a field search training exercise at Norrie Point State Park. Working in two teams, firefighters performed line searches, evidence search strategies, and effective communication while working in forested areas. Additionally, the training focused on accountability protocols.

Throughout the exercise, members used identification tags to track persons as they entered and left the command post. To offer EMS coverage in the event of an injury, a departmental ambulance stayed on the scene. This kind of search training aids in preparing firemen for situations involving missing persons and other crises in rural and park settings. According to officials, the drill improved field cooperation and teamwork.