Rye, NY — February 17th — Earlier in the day, at a swearing-in ceremony at City Hall, the Rye Fire Department welcomed a new firefighter. After taking the oath of office as a probationary fireman, Jeffrey Fernandes will start defending the City of Rye. Fernandes has a familial ties to the department as the son of former Rye firefighter Jeff Fernandes.

After the ceremony, he will finish the department's internal training before enrolling in the Westchester Career Chiefs Fire Academy, where recruits are taught emergency response, safety protocols, and firefighting techniques. According to department officials, the hiring is a part of the city's and the fire department's continuous efforts to maintain dependable response coverage and increase manpower numbers.