Pictured is the Public Safety Committee during Monday’s meeting, where one item of discussion was a difficult planned training course for two city battalion fire chiefs. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

Two city battalion fire chiefs are looking to attend training at the end of the month that is required for any administrative head of a fire department to have, but is also something that is said to be very difficult.

The City Council’s Public Safety Committee discussed the fire officer training resolution during this week’s meeting. Jeff Russell, R-At Large and committee chairman, said it was his understanding that the course they are set to attend is very challenging but also needed to be fire chief. Battalion Fire Chiefs Ryan Roush and Shawn Shilling will attend the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control – Fire Officer III training course, to be held at the Erie County Fire Training Center, 3359 Broadway Street, Cheektowaga, New York, from Feb. 24-28.

According to the City Council agenda, the New York State Department of Civil Service requires administrative chief officers of a career firefighting organization to meet minimum training requirements as set forth in Section 58(a) of the Civil Service Law. The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control has made training available to meet these requirements, which includes Fire Officer Levels I, II and III. Courses are offered tuition-free via outreach educational programs through the NYS Academy of Fire Science.

On Dec. 21, 2018, Chapter 406 of the Laws of 2018 amended Civil Service Law Section 58(a) to include minimum qualifications for chief officers of municipal fire departments that employ five or more career firefighters. The requirements apply to the provisional or permanent appointment of a paid fire chief, on or after Jan. 20, 2019, in the competitive, non-competitive, unclassified, exempt or other classifications as defined by New York State Civil Service Law.

“The Deputy Chief civil service exam was just announced last week and this requirement was also listed in that document,” said Coon, during the Public Safety Committee meeting.

During Monday’s work session, Coon went into more detail about what the training entails, saying that the civil service law requires the head of the fire department to have Officer III training. He added that there are only a few people in Chautauqua County that have completed it.

“There are currently two individuals in Chautauqua County that have that training,” Coon said. “I am one of them, and Fredonia’s fire chief.”

Both the Finance and Public Works committees approved the training.