A turnover in manpower caused by retirements is allowing the Danville Fire Department to add some more young recruits. Justin Pickering and Aaron Cooper were sworn-in Wednesday as probationary firefighters in a ceremony at the Robert E. Jones Municipal Building.
Mayor Rickey Williams had a message for the new recruits….
{AUDIO: ‘’Today is a serious day, because today fellows you’re taking a step to become a part of a brother and sisterhood where every day you might face dangerous challenges, right. And every day you’re going to have to put your lives on the line for these guys and gals in the room, but also for all the people. You’re going to go into situations that most people would run away from.’’}
Fire Chief Don McMasters says Cooper and Pickering will be spending time with a Danville Fire Department training officer before going to the fire academy….
{AUDIO: ‘’We will start doing air pack and hose line, and other types of drills like that with them. Fire hydrant drills – things like that – getting them prepped for when they go to the fire academy. The fire academy will be the 25th of April, so we’ve got about two-and-a-half weeks with them to get them ready so they’re not blind when they go to the academy starting from scratch.’’}
Chief McMasters notes many of the emergency calls handled by firefighters are medical….
{AUDIO: ‘’On average, probably about 65 to 70-percent of our calls are medical related. So that is one of the trainings they get, too, if they are not already certified – which these two individuals are not. They have to go to EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) school to become a certified EMT.}
The two new recruits will be spending seven weeks at the Illinois Fire Academy starting later this month.
Also Wednesday, Mayor Williams noted the passing of Police and Fire Board chair Linda Bolton over the weekend. ‘’Her presence still lingers,’’ said the Mayor. He also said board member Amy Hoose will serve as the interim chairman.
>> (In the photo new Probationary Firefighters Justin Pickering and Aaron Cooper listen as Chief Don McMasters addresses the crowd at city hall.)
