New professional Dutchess firefighters begin training

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Mayor Rolison, FFs Birkler, LaRocca, Lewis, Rendon, Chief Johnson.

POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County fire departments have sent five new firefighters to the State Firefighter Academy in Montour Falls this past week.  The professional firefighters will spend the next 11 weeks training for their new careers.

Poughkeepsie Fire Department (PFD) recently hired four new firefighters.  Two are filling positions created when a pair of firefighters left for the Arlington Department while two are filling vacancies created when two men were promoted to the position of lieutenant.  With the new hires, the department will now have two members of Latino descent and two black firefighters.

PFD Chief Mark Johnson said the men going to the academy will learn the basics of firefighting.

“They will be going through everything from soup to nuts, how to use tools, and how to keep themselves safe,” he said. They will also learn a brief history of firefighting.  When his men return to Poughkeepsie, they will rotate through the various shifts to learn the specific procedures expected by the PFD.  Similar experiences await the new hires in LaGrange and Fairview.

LaGrange FFs Filancia and Zaluski. Photo provided by IAFF Local 3813.

Two of the men have already been trained and will not be going to the academy.  Firefighter Anthony Larocca had been a member of PFD and left a few years ago and just recently had the opportunity to return.  “I am honored and excited to be back,” said Larocca.  Fellow new hire Scott Birkler has also been through the academy and is transferring to PFD from another career department. All four men are joining a department that is currently working under the terms of an expired collective bargaining agreement (contract).  

Michael Lewis and Oscar Rendon, new members of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF Local 596) left for the academy on Saturday with their counterparts from the LaGrange and Fairview fire departments.  

Fairview recently hired Jason Lomoriello and Ryan Smith to join the ranks of IAFF Local 2623.  Smith is enrolled in the current academy while Lomoriello, who has experience with Fairview, will attend the July academy in Montour Falls.

The LaGrange FD added two new firefighters to their ranks recently and both men are part of the Dutchess County contingent enrolled in the current academy.  Firefighters Nick Filancia and Joe Zaluski are the newest professional firefighters to join the ranks of IAFF Local 3813.




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