Jan. 27, 2012 -- Eight fire recruits from Westchester and three from Long Island graduated from the Westchester County Career Chiefs Fire Academy.
The new firefighters were awarded their certificates during a graduation ceremony held at the Robert Schnibbe Jr. Support Services Building at the Department of Emergency Services. County Executive Robert P. Astorino and Acting Commissioner John M. Cullen of the Department of Emergency Services addressed the graduates.
Astorino thanked DES staff and the instructors from numerous fire departments who trained the new firefighters during the 17-week Fire Academy program.
"Our county and its fire departments share a common commitment to provide the best training possible for members of the fire service," Astorino said. "These new firefighters have indeed received the finest training there is from instructors of extraordinary talent, skill and experience."
Astorino said the new firefighters were ready to fight fires and respond to emergencies. But he said he didn't know how prepared they were for the tasks often assigned to "probies," or probationary firefighters, at the firehouse.
"Let me just say I see as many mops and brooms in your immediate futures as hose lines and ladders," he jokingly told the graduates.
The graduates and their departments are: John Lombardo Jr., Andrew Roberto and Douglas Palmesi, Hartsdale Fire Department; Darren Ciraco and Brian Noonan, White Plains Fire Department; Francisco Bellantoni, Pelham Fire Department; Brett Lyons, Port Chester Fire Department; Francis Sheehan, Scarsdale Fire Department, and Bryan Jones, Brian Olson and Alexander Sharpe, Long Beach Fire Department.
Photo cutline:
Front Row: Douglas Palmesi, Andrew Roberto and John Lombardo Jr., Hartsdale FD
Center: Francis Sheehan, Scarsdale FD; Bryan Olson, Long Beach FD; Francesco Bellantoni, Pelham FD; Bryan Jones, Long Beach FD
Back Row: Brian Noonan, White Plains FD; Alexander Sharpe, Long Beach FD; Darren Ciraco, White Plains FD; Brett Lyons, Port Chester FD