VALHALLA – Twenty-nine individuals completed the Westchester County Career Chiefs Fire Academy on Friday, January 26, wrapping up 20 weeks of physically and mentally demanding training that is the foundation of the recruits’ education as they begin their professional firefighter careers. The new firefighters were awarded their certificates before a full auditorium of family, friends, and new coworkers in the Hankin Academic Arts Building auditorium at Westchester Community College.
The 29 graduates represent nine professional departments; five in Westchester, two in Dutchess, one in Orange, and one in Nassau County. New Rochelle FD Captain Joe Sinatra served as Academy Director and Lt. Domenick DiRienzo from the Eastchester FD served as the academy’s executive officer for Class 02-2023. Poughkeepsie FD Lt. James McPaddon also instructed at the academy due to the number of Poughkeepsie firefighter trainees in the academy.
County Executive George Latimer and DES Deputy Commissioner Susan Spear were among the speakers who congratulated the new firefighters and thanked the leaders and instructors of the Career Chiefs Academy for assisting with the training of Class 02-2023.
Graduates of the latest academy include:
LaGrange Fire Department
- Seth Pierson
- Louis Tambini
Lake Mohegan Fire Department
- James Houlahan
- Scott Hylka
Long Beach Fire Department
- Jordan Levitt
- Michael Medrano
- Cliff Skudin
Mamaroneck Town FD
- Benjamin Plachta
City of Newburgh FD
- Matthew Dennis
- William Gayton
- Isaac Lugo
- Gregory Lynady
- Guillermo Mollins
Peekskill FD
- Darwin Molina
- Nicholas Russo
Pelham Manor FD
- Daniel Higgins
Poughkeepsie FD
- Jeffrey Glass
- John Ineson (two brothers already on the job)
- Shane Lawlor (brother is rumored to be future PFD Chief – mother is Pleasant Valley FD Commissioner)
- Clint McCoach
- Oliverio Rendon-Carlos
White Plains FD
- Domenick DiMiceli
- German Garcia
- Justin Lee
- Hanif Malloy
- Salvatore Marchionn
- Luke Puff
- Eric Terminello
- Nicholas Wadden
