First Responder Training Resumes In Chester County

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — A class for fire-responder certification began before coronavirus closed most state and county operations. The Chester County training looked different when it resumed this week for 17 students. Coatesville's Public Safety Training Campus hosted two first responder training sessions Sunday, the first in-person since Pennsylvania reopened.

The Chester County Department of Emergency Services (CCDES) said the training observed "escalated precautions" in the face of the need for prepared emergency responders during a pandemic.

CCDES Director Mike Murphys said, "Having a comprehensive reopening plan allows us to restore public safety training as soon as possible while maintaining an aggressive prevention and preparedness posture to ensure the health and safety of our Chester County responders, instructors and staff."

The Public Safety Training Campus reopened July 19 to complete the Fire I Certification Class, which had begun before the COVID-19 pandemic. A Basic Vehicle Rescue class was also held Sunday.

The next class is a Fire II Certification Class, which will begin when conditions allow.

“It is imperative that we be able to offer training and certification sessions that enable our responders to remain compliant with the various regulatory bodies," said J. Patrick Davis, Director of Training and Development. He emphasized that the county is "all the while assuring that the sessions are provided in the safest possible environment."

CCDES staff instructors, evaluators and students are required to undergo health screenings and temperature checks before entering any building on the campus. Anyone with a fever or other symptoms is not permitted to attend training until released by their physician.

Masks are required and social distancing is strictly enforced during training, with classrooms set up to maintain social distancing. Students are divided into smaller groups, and are not permitted to cross over to another group during training, county officials said.

Hand sanitizer is stationed throughout the campus, and classrooms and bathrooms are disinfected before and after each training session.