49°
The new professional firefighters were awarded their certificates during a graduation ceremony held at the Robert Schnibbe Jr. Support Services Building at the Department of Emergency Services.
County Executive Rob Astorino and Emergency Services Commissioner John M. Cullen welcomed the new firefighter graduates.
“It’s never easy to be a recruit in the Fire Academy but a class of nine is much smaller than usual. Talk about having nowhere to hide," Astorino said. "By comparison, the last graduating class had 25 members. So I am guessing that the nine of you received quite a lot of ‘personal’ attention from your instructors."
Astorino's comments drew nods and knowing laughter from the graduates and family members in the audience. The county executive thanked emergency services staff and the instructors from numerous fire departments who trained the new firefighters during the 18-week Fire Academy program.
“Our county and its fire departments share a common commitment to provide the best training possible for members of the fire service,” Astorino said. “These new firefighters have indeed received the finest training there is from instructors of extraordinary talent, skill and experience.”
The career firefighting graduates and their departments are: Christopher Duffelmeyer, Hartsdale Fire Department; Thomas Leonard, Michael Mackenzie and Christopher Rimm, Peekskill Fire Department; Cea Fong, John Giordano Jr. and Heriberto Virella, Port Chester Fire Department; and William Simons and Hassan Washington, White Plains Fire Department.
On Thursday evening during graduation ceremonies at the same county facility, Astorino congratulated 60 volunteer firefighter recruits who completed training.
The volunteer firefighters are going to work for 23 departments in Westchester.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mount Pleasant and receive free news updates.
