Firefighters take training class

Hampton — The Sussex County Public Safety Training Academy, which is part of the Sussex County Community College, recently offered a driver training course for area firefighters. The nationally recognized course offers six hours of classroom work followed by a hands-on driver’s course set up at the Academy on Morris Turnpike at the Hampton/Frankford border. Members from the Franklin Boro Fire Department, the Fredon Fire Company, the Hopatcong Fire Department as well as both the Beemerville and Colesville Companies of the Wantage Township Fire Department participated in the classroom portion of the class. Personnel from Franklin and Wantage recently did the hands-on portion as well. Hopatcong and Fredon firefighters will be driving the practical course in the near future. Drivers enrolled in this course are tested on their skills with a written test as well as maneuvering their own fire apparatus through five stations including backing up, parking against a curb, and guiding the truck through a serpentine. This is the first time this class has been offered in Sussex County in 15 years and appeared to be well received by the departments that participated, said Operations Officer Larry Bono Jr.