Fire Safety Officer Captain Bob Telless developed the driving course for both driving in town as well as responding to calls on Route 44.

"The firefighters get practice in driving," he said. "The main focus is on highway response."

The safety officer's drill typically takes place in October. Telless has been leading the training since 2008 and believes it's a valuable lesson for all the new firefighters and is a refresher course for the others. He reviews hazards and expectations.

The department has launched a Cancer Prevention Initiative in an effort to educate and protect firefighters of today and the future.

"I wish someone had given me this information when I started,” said Deputy Chief Mike Hill, who is in charge of the committee that put the program together. “For those of us who have been here 20 years or more, we know we’re at risk.”

For years, firefighters fought fires not realizing that that post-fire cleanup was as important as wearing their turnout gear and helmets.