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Southern Ulster Times, Wednesday, July 10, 2019
firefighter training
Firefighters learn how to return a fire hose
back onto the truck.
down where they learn about their SCBA
[Self Contained Breathing Apparatus],
the inter-packs they wear and how long
they actually have on it during a fire,” he
said.
Before the firefighters returned on
June 27 to start the class, they were given
some skill sheets that they worked on
at their home stations with their Chief
officers. Erichsen said the class covers a
wide range of training and situations: fire
department communications, building
construction, hose line advancement,
proper use of the water supply and fire
hydrants, fighting vehicle and structural
fires, how to conduct primary and
secondary searches, victim removal,
tactical ventilation, ladder skills, use of
fire extinguishers, forcible entry tactics,
administering emergency medical care,
HazMat issues and concerns, truck
company operations, firefighter survival
and how to stay safe.
Erichsen said Ulster and Cortlandt
counties are the only two in New York that
teach this program for new firefighters,
which is under the auspices of New York
State Fire Prevention Control.
“Basically we are taking six classes
and we’re combining them into three
weeks, all day,” he said. “Usually they
only allow you to teach up to six hours
a day, we teach nine hours a day in this
program.”
Erichsen said he receives very positive
feedback from the student firefighters as
well as from the Chiefs of the different
fire companies.
“The really like the amount of training
that they’re getting in this class [and]
their skill level is very, very high when
they come out, which is very important.
It’s a highly demanding class so they
really need to be in it for the right reasons;
they really have to commit the whole
time and are here from 7:30 a.m. until 5
p.m. Erichsen said the program provides
breakfast and lunch and water and
juice to the participants, free of charge,
courtesy of the Division of Fire Services.
Erichsen said certified instructors are
provided through an outreach program
from the NYS Office of Fire Prevention
and Control as well as some from the
Division of Fire Services for Ulster
County.
“There are a lot of years of experience
here,” he said. “This is a great program
for the volunteer fire service. We need
to provide aggressive training to ensure
that our firefighters can perform to the
best of their abilities when they’re called
on and that they’re able to fall back to
their training if they get into a risky
situation and then return home to their
loved ones.”
Erichsen made a pitch to join the fire
service, pointing out that 49 of the 50 fire
departments in Ulster County are staffed
by volunteers.
“If you’re living in another community,
stop by your local fire house and talk to
them about volunteering because it is
needed,” he said.
Erichsen said this summer program
was attended by firefighters from
numerous fire companies: Marlborough,
Esopus,
New
Paltz,
Centerville,
Woodstock, Bloomington, Olive, Saxton,
Malden, Grahamsville, Mountaindale,
Cornwall and Arlington.
A graduation ceremony for this class
is scheduled for July 22 at 6 p.m. at the
Highland High School with firefighters in
full dress uniform.
Barone returns as Highland School Board president
By STACIA DONALDSON
The Highland Central School
District Board of Education held a
reorganizational meeting, welcoming
back Sue Gilmore and Tom Miller, who
were returned by district voters for
three-year terms
Alan Barone and Tom Miller were
again appointed by their fellow trustees
as Board president and vice president.
Athletics and fitness
The weight room at Highland High
School has gained popularity over the
last school year. Under the district’s
insurance policy, the weight room
cannot be open without a supervising
staff member.
In order to make the space available
during the summer, a handful
of volunteers have stepped up to
provide the necessary supervision. In
September, Superintendent Thomas
Bongiovi is considering asking the
Board of Education for a stipend in
order to hire a permanent weight room
attendant. A permanent weight room
attendant would allow the weight room
to be used for other activities, such as
yoga classes. The addition of this new
position would ensure the safety of
the students and staff using the weight
room,and would also allow the weight
room to have consistent operating
hours.
Bongiovi plans on taking an active
role in the recruitment of both
players and coaches for the districts
numerous sports teams. The issue of
low participation was addressed in
regards to the stipends of coaches of
disbanded teams. In the past, coaches
of teams that were disbanded due to
low participation were still given their
full stipend. This coming year, stipends
will be prorated to reflect the amount
of time the team is active.
Board welcomes new educators
The school board welcomed some
newly appointed district educators.
Elementary
teachers
Daniel
Sommerfeldt and Kristen Marie Bove,
special education teacher Alysse
Breitenbach, STEM teacher Kristina
Hughes and Elementary School
Librarian Victoria Stoebe are joining
the district this coming September.
The next Board of Education meeting
is August 6, 5:30 p.m. at Highland High
School.