Firefighter Derek Hernandez with the new Bloomfield Fire Department pumper. Hernandez is a driver for the vehicle.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Fire Department recently had 35 members trained and certified as incident safety officers. This 16-hour course, developed by the National Fire Academy in Emmetsburg, Md., examines the safety officers’ role in emergency responses. Additionally, it focuses on operations within an incident command system as a safety officer and emphasizes response to all hazard types of situations.
“The Bloomfield Fire Department is constantly making an effort to better train themselves for any situations that they may encounter in order to protect themselves and our residents,” Mayor Michael Venezia said. “Our community owes a great deal to the members of the fire department that put their lives on the line every day to keep us all safe.”
This class was held in Bloomfield, as the department is a NJ Division of Fire Safety–approved eligible organization, meaning it can host approved classes. The class was taught by Teaneck Battalion Chief John Dixon.
“By taking part in this class, our department is prioritizing the health and welfare of its department members,” Fire Chief Lou Venezia said. “By providing this course to the department’s most senior members it will help create a culture of safety and accountability.”
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