ARCADE, NY — March 19th — In order to improve fireground preparedness, members of the Arcade Fire Department, located at 145 North St., Arcade, NY, maintained their training and equipment review initiatives. Firefighter Mangione finished Firefighter Self Rescue training and started Truck Company Operations training, while Firefighter Burlingame recently finished a refresher course on Interior Firefighting Operations. The safety of firefighters, escape methods, and ladder company duties during building fires are the main topics of these seminars.

Members demonstrated new hydraulic rescue gear and performed auto extrication training during a Wednesday night drill. The department is considering using specialized cutter and spreader units in place of its existing combi-tool cutter and spreader. The current machinery, according to officials, is almost 20 years old and has limits when using materials from modern vehicles.