This year we have had three Department members attend and complete The Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations / with Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations course (BEFO).

This course is a 25-night 79-hour course that prepares firefighters to operate on the fire grounds. This training is designed to give an overview of the exterior operations on the fire-ground and help prepare each member for a real-life scenario while keeping themselves and each other safe. This course is the very first course you are required to take within the first two years of becoming a Firefighter with the SLVFD.

The SLVFD would like to congratulate Brennan Rutledge , Dylan Gunther, and Adam Mayville for completing this course. We would also like to thank them for their voluntary commitment to the SLVFD, and the hard work it takes to complete these courses.

Brennan Rutledge completed his BEFO course in March of 2023. Rutledge took his course at the Paul Smiths Gabriel’s Fire Station. He traveled to Paul Smith’s twice a week in the evenings for three months to complete his training.

Adam Mayville and Dylan Gunther completed their BEFO course in August of 2023. Mayville and Gunther took their course at the Westport Fire Station in Essex County. They traveled to Westport, about an hour each way twice a week for three months in the evenings over the Summer to complete their training. BEFO classes are offered all around NYS and sometimes our members must travel a great deal to take these classes.

Volunteer firefighters are required to attend extensive monthly and yearly training. Training is the backbone of every Fire Department and allows for each member to continually grow and be the best Firefighter they can be. We are always learning in the fire service and training with one another allows for operations to run more smoothly.

We are very proud of Brennan, Adam, and Dylan for their efforts within the SLVFD! Congratulations and thank you for your service within the community!