N.Y. Air Nat'l Guard Trains For Wildfires On Long Island
WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - The New York Air National Guard is continuing to train this week at Gabreski Airport to help put out wildfires.
WCBS 880's Sophia Hall On The Story
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In April, wildfire broke out in Manorville, Long Island and it took many long days to get it under control.
The 106th Rescue Wing has been learning how to prevent the spread of such a fire and to help other states, especially out west if there is a similar emergency.
"The two courses that we're taking this week are the basic entry level courses. We're learning behavior of wild land fires. We're learning safety in wild land fires, the basic skills necessary to be on the ground and to create fire lines and create break lines and to do so in a safe manner," National Guard Fire Chief Edward Metcalf told WCBS 880 reporter Sophia Hall.
"As you progress further down the road on the training blocks, you would learn how to use chain saws. You would learn how to do bulldozers. You would learn how to be a crew boss," he added.
Metcalf said they are working with the New York State Department Of Environmental Conservation.
"One of the programs is to us, now that we have this training, to do their prescribed or their controlled burns to try to prevent a future Manorville incident, if you will," he said.
