The Volunteers of the Keeseville Fire Department go through a variety of trainings to ensure that when the time comes they have the skills necessary to help save lives.

Structural: All fire department members have a basic knowledge of building structure.  This helps our officers determine placement of personnel when it comes to fighting a structure fire.

Interior: This training teaches the men and women who go into the burning buildings how to fight them and get out safely.

SCBA: Self-Contained Breathing Apparateus

Rapid Intervention Team: This team is qualified for fire fighter rescue, should a fellow firefighter become trapped or injured while fighting a fire.

Firefighter Survival: This training is mandatory for all interior firefighters.  They learn how to survive when caught in a dangerous situation.  This training provides them the know-how and security of knowing that they can escape through second story windows and through walls when necessary.

Vehicle and School Bus Extraction: This training is to show the men and women of the fire department and EMS how to use life saving machines such as the "jaws of life" to safely take cars and other vehicles apart so that we may reach the injured parties that may be trapped inside.

Low angle rope rescue: Rescue on terrain that has a slope of 15 to 35 degrees.  Can turn into a steep angle rescue where the terrain is 35-60 degrees.

High angle rope rescue: High angle rescues are for terrains with a slope of 60 degrees or higher.  Rescuers are totally dependent on ropes to keep themselves and their victims from falling.

Swift water rescue: This is exactly how it sounds.  With use of boats and sometimes diving, this team goes into swift moving water to help rescue those who may find themselves trapped by a deadly current.

High pressure air bag: Used to move heavy objects such as vehicles.

Search and Rescue: This is done in conjunction with the Forest rangers of NYS.  We train in Type 3 searches which are grid searches and in teams of 8-10 people.  Keeseville Fire Dept also works with the Champlain Valley Search & Rescue K-9 unit and does use highly trained air-scent dogs on some of their searches as well.

Boat training: Fire department members have to be comfortable on the water as well as comfortable driving one of the 2 zodiac boats that are utilized in water rescue.

Cold water rescue: This is exactly how it sounds.  With use of special suits, boats, sleds and ice picks, the cold water rescue unit goes into often freezing temperature water to save those who may have fallen in.

Mass Confidence: This is a training technique used to have our interior firefighters comfortable going into smoke filled structures.  They go through a smoke filled maze in all gear so that it stimulates going into an actual structure fire.

OSHA: Just like in any business, local fire departmets have to comply with OSHA standards.  Each member must go through the OSHA class and do refresher courses throughout their membership.