A graduation ceremony was held recently to commemorate the latest class of Suffolk County Fire Service Cadets.
These future firefighters, all ages 16-18, are part of the formal program known as the Cadet “Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations” (BEFO).
Every Suffolk County legislator was invited to attend the event, and legislator Leslie Kennedy was one of those who answered the call.
“The hard work and dedication that these cadets have put into this program are nothing short of exemplary,” said Legislator Kennedy. “It always puts a smile on my face to see how many young men and women devote their time to public service.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, and Suffolk County Legislators Ann Welker, Dominick Thorne, Samuel Gonzalez, Steven Flotteron, Kevin McCaffrey, Jason Richberg, Tom Donnelly and Stephenie Bontempi were also in attendance.
The program was made possible by the funding allocated to the Suffolk County Fire Academy within the latest county budget to be passed by the Legislature.
One-hundred and ten volunteer firehouses, 30 ambulance corps, and over 1,0000 service men and women are currently in action throughout the Suffolk County Fire Services.
Graduation from the initial program is just one of several milestones community protectors in training must confront. It wraps the first half of their greater training on the path toward becoming Suffolk County firefighters.
While all these cadets are still at the grade school level, it does not mean they cannot play an instrumental role in more than one successful company mission sooner rather than later.
What the cadets are taught is how to navigate the tough balancing act that is their education, extracurriculars, and fire safety training. They must be fully committed to the cause while on the clock. However, the volunteer nature of the local firefighter encourages this equal distribution of professional and personal commitments for all who seek out the firefighter lifestyle.
Once cadets graduate from high school, it is only a matter of time before their indoctrination into their house is official.