A group of 21 local firefighters from Potter, McKean, and Cameron Counties recently completed the 48 hour Basic Vehicle Rescue course held at the Tri-Town Fire Co. in Ulysses. This course is jointly sponsored by the State Fire Academy and the Department of Health EMS Office. The Pennsylvania Vehicle Rescue Training Curriculum places emphasis upon the development of knowledge and skills to be used by rescue personnel to achieve a safe and efficient vehicle rescue operation. The Joint Pennsylvania Vehicle Rescue Training Curriculum is a comprehensive rescue-training program designed to be presented to those emergency service personnel responsible for patient rescue operations on the highways of Pennsylvania. This course introduces the student to a systematic approach to rescue that includes hazard recognition and control, incident command, situational assessment, and personal protection in addition to the requisite tools, equipment, and techniques of vehicle rescue. Completion of the course in conjunction with successfully passing a writen examination will earn course participants certification as a Vehicle Rescue Technician.

Firefighters and rescue personnel from the following departments participated in the course; Tri-Town Fire Co. Ulysses, Genesee Fire Co., Goodyear Hose co. Galeton, Harrison Township Fire Co., Sinnemahoning Fire Co., and the Bradford City Fire Department. Vehicles for the course were donated by Cowanesque Salvage and Recyling, Westfield.

The following Tri-Town Fire Co. members completed the entire course; Chief Roy Hunt, 1st Asst. Chief Ken Wingo, 3rd Asst. Chief Jeff Barber, Capt. Mike Healy, Firefighter Erich Petsch, Firefighter Rusty Hunt and Firefighter Richard McCoy. Firefighters Krystle Newhard and Cliff Wood completed the first two modules of the course and plan on completing the final module in the near future.

The Tri-Town Fire Co. (Dept 47) of Ulysses announced today that it has been notified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Congressman Glenn Thompson's office that it has been awarded a grant in the amount of $53,913 through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. The grant was awarded under the program's Operations and Safety section and will be used to purchase new personal protective equipment (PPE) for 25 of the department's active firefighters. This will include turnout coats, bunker pants, helmets, boots, protective hoods and gloves. The grant award will also cover the cost of several equipment racks for storage of the equipment in a ready state.

Chief of the Department Roy Hunt stated that this grant will allow the department to provide the most up-to-date protective gear to its most active members, particularly those that are involved in interior fire attack operations, and will help to provide for a greater degree of safety for firefighters.

The department is also currently awaiting word on a grant application that was submitted through the AFG Vehicle Replacement program for the purchase of a new Four-Wheel-Drive Engine/Rescue unit. If awarded that grant the vehicle purchased would replace a total of three vehicles in the department's fleet.