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Berwyn Firefighters Earn Training Recognition
One of only 31 Departments in PA to reach the 100% mark
The Berwyn Fire Company was honored for its commitment to training and firefighter safety by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. The company was recognized as a Participating Department in the Voluntary Fire Service Certification Program in 2021. The Company has been involved in this important program since 2005.
The fire company has attained gold level participation, which means that 100 percent of Berwyn firefighters, 18 years of age and older have completed Firefighter I (FFI) training. The training is conducted under nationally recognized and sanctioned professional qualifications standards and consists of other courses like Firefighter II that firefighters can certify in. The FFI training consists of interior and exterior firefighting accompanied with CPR, First Aid, Hazardous Materials, and Incident Command System training. The Firefighter I course totals nearly 200 hours of training.
Berwyn is currently the only combination fire company in Chester County to have all of its volunteers and career staff receive the 100 percent distinction. As of July 14, 2022, there are only 186 agencies who have participated with the standards set forth in the program.
For the 6th time since 2005, the fire company submitted a notarized application to the Fire Service Advisory Committee to be recognized as a Participating Department. A certificate of accomplishment was awarded. The program recognication decals are visible on all of Berwyn's fire trucks.
The program was developed to reduce and, where possible, prevent firefighter injuries and fatalities. According to the Office of the State Fire Commissioner, Pennsylvania has the largest volunteer firefighter population in the country and saves taxpayers over $8 billion in taxes annually.
Berwyn volunteers, part-time staff, and full-time staff successfully passed the certification process for the Firefighter I course to be able to achieve this training recognition.
Justin Brundage, Berwyn Fire Chief, states, "Maintaining this goal we set for ourselves well over a decade ago is a great accomplishment. It shows the dedication that the men and women of the Berwyn Fire Company have to their community and each other. Quality matters in your fire department."
Fire officials at Berwyn hope this milestone will encourage others in the County to join the program and promote training as a top priority. The efforts of Berwyn's firefighters should prove beneficial now and in the future since many grants from the county level and higher are looking for training as a key component in being awarded grant monies.
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