Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus attended the County’s Firefighter 1 graduation ceremony on Wednesday, December 18 at the Emergency Services Center in Goshen.

Neuhaus was joined at the graduation by Orange County Sheriff Carl E. DuBois, Assistant District Attorney Chris Borek, Commissioner of Emergency Services Brendan Casey, Deputy Commissioner of Fire Services Vini Tankasali and Orange County Fire Training Chief Jim McCann.

This year’s Firefighter 1 graduating class included men and women from the following County Fire Departments: Campbell Hall, Chester, Cronomer Valley, Fort Montgomery, Greenwood Lake, Highland Falls, Howells, Mechanicstown, Middle Hope, Middletown, Monroe, New Windsor, Orange Lake, Otisville, Pine Bush, Pocatello, Port Jervis, Salisbury Mills, Silver Lake South Blooming Grove, Vails Gate, Washingtonville, Washington Heights and Warwick. Firefighter 1 is a comprehensive and intensive introductory course required to become an Interior Firefighter.

The course is comprised of 129 classroom hours and additional take home assignments. Courses were taught by Orange County Fire Instructors at the County’s Fire Training Center in New Hampton and also entailed lectures and hands on training sessions.

“We are proud of this year’s Firefighter 1 class and their dedication to service,” Tankasali said. “It takes commitment and hard work to become a firefighter, and the completion of this course illustrates the willingness of each of the graduates to do what it takes to serve their communities. I offer my congratulations and best wishes as well as gratitude to them all.”

Local graduates included the following: Campbell Hall, James Pace; Cronomer Valley, Owen Scott; Middle Hope, Jacob Nelson; New Windsor, Matthew Babcock, Anthony Napoli; Orange Lake, William Gooler, Benny Lucchese Sr.; Pine Bush, Jorge Gonzalez-Amaya, Gavin Montanye; Vails Gate, Gale Dingwell and Michael Farbent Jr.