Special Features

Suffolk FRES Hosts SummerFire & EMS Open House and Recruitment Event

The Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services (FRES) and the Suffolk County Fire Academy recently hosted its Second Open House and Recruitment Event at the Fire Academy’s training facility in Yaphank. The event attracted more than 150 participants, including new first responders who signed up with their local fire department or EMS agency through the Suffolk’s Bravest program, junior explorers and community members.

“Recruitment and retention continues to be paramount in ensuring the longevity and wellbeing of the local volunteer fire service,” said Patrick Beckley, Suffolk County FRES Commissioner. “By engaging our young people and communities, we will continue to ensure that there are plenty of opportunities for our future first responders to learn more about the service and interact with the personnel and equipment they would be working with.”

The event was highlighted by an emergency response drill simulating a collision of a Long Island Railroad train and a motor vehicle with multiple injuries. Suffolk County FRES, Brookhaven Fire Department, Suffolk County Fire Academy, Suffolk County EMS and South Country Ambulance collaborated to ensure the success of the drill. The County's Drone Team also provided demonstrations and showed off its equipment and mission capabilities.

In addition, Island Harvest was on-site to collect donations and non-perishable items as part of a Fire & EMS Food Drive. The organization collected goods to provide more than 1,700 meals to local families-in-need.

To date, Suffolk County’s Open House and Recruitment Events have resulted in more than 210 local first responders signing up with their local departments. Interested candidates can learn more about becoming a first responder at suffolksbravest.com. - Fire News photos provided by Ken Bradbury and Richard Stark; story by Peter Guaraldi, SCFRES