Highlights from Rockland County Firefighter Graduation

The 13th Firefighter Graduation was held on Thursday January 12, 2012 at RCC Cultural Arts Center. Sixty-four Firefighter 1 and II students graduated, several were from Orange and Putnam Counties. State Fire Instructor’s Frank Jewett, Michael Healy, Frank Bifulco along with Les Greenwood NYS Fire Protection Specialist presented the new firefighters with their certificates.

Past Chief Andrew Kolesar – West Haverstraw Fire Department, was the keynote speaker (Andy is also an FDNY Firefighter and NYS Fire Instructor). Chief Kolesar expressed the values of training to accomplish professionalism in the fire service and customer service to the citizens and families within the Rockland County community. He reminded the students they have chosen to enter a prestige avocation or vocation as part of Rockland’s new firefighters; that this is only their beginning as firefighters, and that the skills of firefighting require a constant learning process which goes on through their entire fire service career.

  firefighters, rockland county