LABELLE — Fourteen firefighters from Hendry County completed their Firefighter I Training course program on Nov. 14 with a live burn at the Southwest Florida Public Safety Academy in Fort Myers.

Firefighters from the Pioneer Plantation, Montura Ranch Estates and Felda volunteer fire departments, as well as members of the cities of LaBelle and Clewiston fire departments, took part in the live burn as the final portion of the approximately 190-hour Firefighter I course which included online work and lectures that took nearly six months to complete.

This group also included three employees from Wedegworth who completed the course.

The live burn exercise included a total of five evolutions that provide firefighters with the opportunity to enhance their practical skills and ability to efficiently navigate as a team in a variety of fire response scenarios.

Firefighters from the Tice, Fort Myers Shores and LaBelle fire departments assisted with apparatus, safety and ignition. Battalion Chief (BC) Lance Delgado and BC Bob Midea from LeHigh Acres Fire Rescue, Firefighter/Paramedic Gabriel Puente from Bonita Springs Fire Department and Hendry County Public Safety Chief, Amy Stafford, assisted as instructors.

Hendry County thanks Tice Fire Chief, Ted Ross, and Tice BC Matt Williams for organizing a successful and educational burn.