Buchanan Valley: On December 21st, a number of volunteers finished the last step of the Essentials of Firefighting Program, completing about 150 hours of training. A live burn evolution, the last prerequisite, was carried out in the Franklin County burn building.

The program was run by Bucks County Community College and featured volunteers from a number of local departments. According to the Buchanan Valley Volunteer Fire Department, the program produced six new firefighters. During the Module D burn phase, Captain Shafer acted as a mentor. After reaching age eligibility, some junior firemen will fulfill the remaining criteria after completing Module C of their training. 17-year-olds can now finish the entire program, including live burns, thanks to recent modifications.