Future Chester County Firefighters Set To Complete Certification

CHESTER COUNTY —Nineteen students completing the latest Chester County Firefighter I Training Course will practice indoor firefighting and search & rescue exercises at 1 p.m. Monday in the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus, Coatesville.

The practical exercises at the Tactical Village section of the county’s award-winning training facility, represent the final steps needed to complete the 188-hour classroom and practical skills certification.

The Firefighter I class includes 17 men and two women, the majority of which are college students who are adding the first responder certification to their other qualifications.

The need for firefighters across the state and the nation is at an all-time high.

In Chester County, most firefighters are volunteers, which adds to the challenges of recruitment and retention of firefighters, according to Chester County officials.