Port Jervis (NY) Fire Department Fire Corps

On June 23, the chief officers of the Port Jervis (NY) Fire Department presented their plan for the new Port Jervis Fire Department Fire Corps to the city’s Common Council, the community, and the local media. The officers used a slide show to explain the purpose of Fire Corps and how it will benefit their department.

“We realized that there are many talented individuals in our community who might be willing to step up to help our department in today’s busy times, but maybe not in an actual firefighting capacity,” Chief Joe Kowal explained to the group. “There are many ways local volunteers can help take the burden off of firefighting personnel who already give so much of their time.”

Chief Kowal went on to describe how community members were already stepping up. Several citizens had expressed interests in computer work, fundraising activities, and public education.

The presentation included specific ways in which the new Fire Corps team would assist the department. Since Port Jarvis contains several senior citizen complexes, public education efforts will focus on educating the elderly about fire safety, especially cooking safety. Also, Port Jervis is surrounded by two rivers and frequently has flooding emergencies. Fire Corps members will assist by organizing the canteen efforts that currently are run by the volunteer firefighters.

“This will free up the firefighters to do what they have been trained to do,” Chief Kowal said of the proposed Fire Corps activities.

For more information on the Port Jervis Fire Department Fire Corps, visit www.pjnyfd.com and follow the link to Fire Corps. The presentation to the community is also available for viewing on their web site.