Lake Mohegan Firefighter Graduates from State Firefighter Training Program

Lake Mohegan Fire Department's Stephen J. Myllek has graduated from the New York State firefighter training program. He is among 19 recruits from 13 fire departments across the state, Governor Andrew Cuomo said. 

"I applaud the brave men and women who have taken up the call to serve by ensuring the safety and security of their fellow New Yorkers in communities across the state," he said in a statement. 

Myllek, along with the rest of the recruits, went through 450 hours of intense training over 11 weeks as part of the Recruit Firefighter Training Program at the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls. 

The training exceeds the provisions of the New York State standard for career probationary and non-permanent firefighters, Cuomo said. Graduates of the program also receive national certification in Firefighter I, Firefighter II and Hazardous Materials Operations.

"These recruits, like the hundreds before them, will return to their communities with a far better understanding of how to respond to any emergency and provide the service that their fellow citizens need," said Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

New York State Fire Administrator Bryant D. Stevens said the program is long and arduous but professionally rewarding for students who successfully complete it.

"I congratulate these firefighters for their hard work and dedication and wish them the best in their careers," he said. 

Cuomo said more than 1,700 recruits have successfully completed this training since 1984.