Fire Training Center

[Guest]

Have to say that the Fire Training Center is alive and well. Hope this training continues for a long time to come. The New County Fire Instructors, staff and facility are Great. Thanks to all that make it happen!!! Westchester is blessed with a solid program.

[Guest]

Have to agree with FLORIAN, the new CFI's are great! Within my 14 years of service, I have to say that the current instructors working at Westchester County Fire Training Center are experienced well educated Firefighters who are a great asset to the service. Every time I attend a session at the training center, I learn something from these fire service icons. Thank you Westchester CFI's..

[firecapt32 282]

heres my 2 Cents

Glad every one is happy useing the fire training center. Its yours any suggestion to make it better are always welcome. Yes the CFI's are a talanted bunch if i do say so my self!!!!

Tell you neighboring department about the center not all departments use the center isnt that a shame. have your depatment book a whole night or a whole day on the wekends. The instructors will gladly help as much as you want.

[BIGRED1 71]

i love the training center. it is the highlight of my year when we go up there. I like the high rise but one thing kinda is a pain and thats that you cant smoke up the rooms very well. i think that the center should install those big green windows on there on some of the floors so we can close off a room and make some smokey conditions. we had to put a tarp up over the windows and try and seal it best we could. kinda worked but i think the shutters would be a good addition.

[HFD750 6]

Do they do live car fire burns? That would be cool.

[BIGRED1 71]

OH Yes they do. or it can be live bus burns or van burns. they have a fairly large car burn section. they should have a propain tree in a car for live car fire burns. now THAT would be sweet

[Guest alsfirefighter]

First, thank you for you kind words. Every instructor at the training center is very dedicated to making the fire service better and the firefighters whom we interact with more efficient, knowledgable and safer. We all work hard to deliver excellent state courses, and over time you will start to see some programs which we develop on a personal basis to get info out there.

EClemente: Your point is valid and the powers at DES will listen. Have your Chief attend a DES meeting and bring up the point about the windows. Anything that will enhance training gets attention, and if it can't be done you will hear an answer as to why.

Also let me dispel a myth that several students have come up to me about that concerned me and got my head shaking. At this time, unless it is a course that has a materials fee through the state, no fee for utilizing the training center on a department level. It is there for your gain! You may have to work out scheduling if another department is booked for a specific prop you want, but there are tons of other things that can be accomplished, that more then likely needs to be reviewed and performed other then live fire events. Mask confidence, vertical roof ventilation, survival skills, building search, hoseline stretches etc. And as Firecapt said, you will always have CFI's with you along the way to help you with anything you need. Also there are segments of which is called "refresher" training which your department can request through the state where a SFI will review firefighting skills that you want. Contact the FTC for more info.

[Remember585 815]

Speaking of the Westchester County Fire Training Center, how many Departments do in fact use it, and how often?

It's a great resource that we take advantage of quite often.

[BIGRED1 71]

Pelham Manor uese it 4 times a year. 2 times in the burn house, 2 times in the smoke house.

[Guest]

Will the FTC start offering more obscure courses like rescue tech, confined space, technical rescue, etc. I know we have a lot of new FFs who need FF1, FF2, FF Survival, etc. so I understand why its hard to offer some of these more specialized courses.

[Remember585 815]

Will the FTC start offering more obscure courses like rescue tech, confined space, technical rescue, etc.  I know we have a lot of new FFs who need FF1, FF2, FF Survival, etc. so I understand why its hard to offer some of these more specialized courses.

One overlooked resource that we'll probably lose if we don't start utilizing it is Camp Smith. We all need to better utilize this facility before it is a thing of the past. Our current Government (Pataki, Leibell, Wishnie, etc.) have been more than generous to all of us - and we should repay them by using the things they made possible! We also can't forget James Burns and Dick Nagle, both of whom have made great strides in fire training resources for all of us.

The County Training Center is great, but we need to use the other things that are out there for us to take advantage of.

[Guest]

How do we register for courses at Camp Smith? There was some confusion about that at my FD.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

To register for courses at Camp Smith they have a registration form both online on the website for OFPC and there is one you can copy in the back of the course catalog that is put out every year (sometimes very late, but gets out there eventually.) Fill out the form with all the info and have your Chief or whomever takes care of training fax it to them, but make sure it gets followed up by a phone call to ensure they receive it.

As far as offering some of the courses you mentioned, keep in mind that not all of the courses offered in the state are part of the outreach training programs, which means they cannot be given at a county level. There are courses which are only given at Camp Smith and Montour Falls or at times when you are approved to have a OFPC rep come in and conduct the course. Which for some is difficult due to staffing and/or it is given right at Camp Smith.

This is not a dig at anyone, just a random thought, you've been warned, lol:

I do have to say I'm kind of shocked that someone actually has to ask about how to get training. If someone has to ask now, that means that there must be that same confusion and possibly no one using a resource since Camp Smith's inception around 1997/1998. If you are a fire officer and not sure how to get training yourself or for your people, get off your duff and call someone. Pick up a course catalog and read it, it explains it in there, and your county fire training personnel are there to assist you also.

[aves3131 0]

In response to JaredHG's comment about how to register for training, it is not that there is confusion about how to do it, but rather there is a reason that this certain member is not being allowed to register.

[61MACKBR1 222]

With all of the discussion regarding the Westchester Fire Training Facility in Valhalla, and all of the county municipalities who use it, and the allegeded lack of use of the Camp Smith Facility, it will be interesting to see what happens, once the New Yonkers Fire Department Headquarters and Training Facility is built and completed? Cities, such as New Rochelle (along with Mount Vernon) among others have participated in the Westchester Specail Operations Training up at the Ridge Hill Bunker in Yonkers, within recent months. and it will be very interesting, dependent upon how YFD sets up this new Training Facility (And YFD Headquarters) to see how many Southern County Cities utilize the New Facility in Yonkers for their Own Training Needs. Any thoughts?