Nearly 30 first responders were recognized Sunday by the Prince Edward Area Firefighters Association for completing five training programs, in the 2017 calendar year, associated with first response. The training programs included Firefighter I, Firefighter II, National Registered Emergency Medical Technician, Driver Aerial Operator and Hazardous Material Operations. As reported in the Herald, firefighters were educated on recognizing and handling hazardous material, operating specialized machinery and firefighter gear and providing emergency services to individuals in crisis situations, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training.

Many of the training programs required more than 100 hours of training, with practical and written exams.

Tom Berry, Division 3 chief with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, congratulated the first responders and noted, “I am sure that the citizens that you do serve will continue to recognize that they have some highly-trained individuals that are there to provide services in their time of need.”

We agree with Berry and are thankful to the first responders for their initiative and commitment to better serving the community.

Here in the newsroom we are well aware of the role first responders play in the health and welfare of our citizens. As calls for help and assistance are made, it is of great comfort to know that our first responders are well trained and prepared for a multitude of emergency situations.

We thank you for your time, commitment and sacrifice. Job well done.