EMFD Volunteers Participate in Live-Fire Training

Volunteers from the East Meadow Fire Department recently participated in a live-fire training exercise at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy (NCFSA) in Old Bethpage. Live-fire training is an essential component of the extensive instruction that firefighters receive. It teaches them how to fight fires safely and effectively in a controlled setting and under supervision. In addition, annual live-fire training is mandatory to maintain certification as firefighters.

Live-fire training teaches firefighters to think clearly and act calmly under stressful emergencies where lives are at stake and every second counts. To conduct a live-fire drill, NCFSA
instructors ignite structures called ‘burn buildings’ under controlled conditions that simulate a live structure fire. Participants are outfitted in their turnout gear and wear a self-contained breathing apparatus.

“There is no better way to give our front-line firefighters a hands-on lesson in firefighting than through a controlled, supervised exercise that simulates a live-fire condition,” said
East Meadow Fire Commissioner Carey Welt, a former instructor at the NCFSA. "Live-fire training is one of many different courses our volunteer firefighters participate in to keep themselves and their colleagues safe while sharpening their skills.”

The East Meadow Fire Department, which covers East Meadow and parts of Levittown and Westbury (Salisbury), is always looking for new members to join their ranks as firefighters or emergency medical personnel; no experience is necessary. The fire department provides the training required. There are numerous benefits associated with volunteering, including tax breaks, college scholarships, annual health checkups, life insurance, and a service award pension program, all at no cost. For more information on volunteering with the East Meadow Fire Department, visit www.eastmeadowfd.com, or call 516-542-4565.