Seven firefighters from Cherryhill Township completed the Basic Essentials of Firefighting program through the Cambria County Regional Firefighter Association. The Essentials of Firefighting program includes four core modules including Introduction to the Fire Service, Fire Ground Support, Exterior Firefighting and Interior Firefighting. Firefighters are also required during the program to complete supplemental courses to certify in CPR/First Aid, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations. The training program began in early January and concluded March 25. We are proud of our members who committed to this program and gave up several weekends to train to serve our community.

This was also the first class under Pennsylvania Act 155 that permit junior firefighters 17 years or age, who have completed the first three modules and who have completed the supplemental trainings to complete module four, Interior Firefighting. Although these junior firefighters cannot participate in an interior fire fight on an emergency scene until they reach their 18th birthday, Act 155 eliminates the delay once a junior firefighter reaches 18 years of age to work as interior firefighter once they reach 18 years of age. Junior firefighters Dallas Leasure, Isaac Foreback and Corbin Zack all completed the program and will be ready to perform the duties of an interior firefighter once they reach their 18th birthday.

In addition to Leasure, Foreback and Corbin Zack, Firefighters, Emily Miller and Ben Mutz completed the program and are now interior firefighter qualified. Captain Bob Zack Jr. and Captain Vinny Mutz also participated in the interior firefighting module, Captain Zack with his son Corbin and Captain Mutz with his brother Ben.

Cherryhill Fire congratulates our newly qualified interior firefighters, as well as the newly qualified interior firefighters from other participating departments, for their commitment to complete their basic essentials of firefighting program and for their willingness to serve their communities.