Members of the Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Bloomingdale, and Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Departments recently completed the New York State "Accident Victim Extrication Training" Instructed by New York State Fire Instructor Thomas Tucker and hosted by the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department.

A special thank you to the crew at Maddens Garage is in order for donating and preparing 4 vehicles along with the use of their lot on Lapan Highway.

Students participated in 8 hours of class room training on 12/20 and 12/22 and then braved freezing temperatures for 8 hours of hands on training on 12/28 and 12/29.

Accident Victim Extrication Training Provides hands-on training in motor vehicle rescue and extrication techniques while stressing the need for scene safety and vehicle stabilization. It includes rescue theory, rescue life cycle, new technology in automotive design and rescue tools and their uses.

SLVFD members receiving certificates were Richard Hurteau, Timothy Donaldson, Ryan Siddell, Julie Harjung, Damon Jacobs, Brendan Keough, Robert Nadon, Steven Sweet, Kenneth McLaughlin, Deborah Zerrahn, John Derby, James Stinson, and Jeffery White.

We are very proud of our members and thank them for donating an extraordinary amount of time necessary to maintain the level of training required to be able to respond when called upon to keep our community safe.