Wyoming County Office of Emergency Services

06/16/2026

Strong non-thunderstorm wind gusts are likely across the region late Wednesday night through Thursday. Wind gusts may reach the 45 to 55 mph range at times. Fully leafed out trees may result in greater damage than is typically seen with these wind speeds during the cold season.

06/16/2026

TUESDAY: TECHNIQUE

How firefighters move matters as much as how strong or fit they are. This day focuses on movement quality, biomechanics, and proper exercise ex*****on to improve efficiency, protect joints, and reduce preventable injuries both on the fireground and in training.

Safety Stand Down 2026 takes place June 14-20, focusing on the theme Firefighter Fitness: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life. Use these planning materials to prepare your department for a successful week, with daily focus topics, activity ideas, events, and training opportunities.

06/15/2026

New York State Action Task Force Update – Volunteer First Responder Compensation Initiative

Bill Streicher, President of the County Fire Coordinators Association (CFC), and Tim Yaeger, Director of the CFC, continue to actively serve on the statewide Action Task Force dedicated to supporting volunteer first responders across New York State.

The Task Force is focused on advancing a regionalized compensation model for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel. This locally designed, Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)-driven concept would allow communities flexibility to implement programs that best fit their operational needs. Potential models under discussion include Paid-on-Call, Pay-Per-Call, and Duty/Day Crew staffing options, all intended to improve response reliability and help address staffing gaps—particularly during daytime hours when volunteer availability is often reduced.

In addition to Bill Streicher and Tim Yaeger, the Action Task Force includes statewide representation from key stakeholder groups:

State Chiefs: Bruce Heberer and Richard Lyman
State Fire Districts: Dave Denniston and Ralph Raymond
Long Island Legislative Committee: Tom Richardson and Ray McGuire

On Thursday at the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs Conference in Syracuse, members of the Task Force facilitated a panel discussion during the Volunteer Fire Chiefs Round Table. The panel provided current updates on the proposed compensation initiatives and responded to questions from attendees regarding program structure, implementation considerations, and legislative progress.

This ongoing collaborative effort continues to focus on strengthening and sustaining the volunteer emergency response system throughout New York State by exploring practical, locally controlled staffing and compensation solutions.

06/15/2026

Safety Stand Down message for Monday is INTENTIONAL: Effective training is not about doing more, but about doing what matters most. An intentional approach to firefighter fitness aligns goals, intensity, and programming with baseline fitness, experience, and operational demands – ensuring training is deliberate, evidence-informed, and purpose-driven to support performance today and sustainability over an entire fire service career.

Safety Stand Down 2026 takes place June 14-20 with a focus on Firef...

06/15/2026

Wallace Road in the Town of Covington will be closed today

06/14/2026

Sunday: Foundations of Firefighter Fitness
Firefighting places unique physical demands on the body that cannot be met by general fitness alone. This day focuses on the foundational principles of functional fitness that support performance, reduce injury risk, and promote long-term health – strength, endurance, movement quality, and recovery built for the job, not the gym.

The 2026 Firefighter Safety Stand Down will explore the dynamic between fitness and fireground performance and what it truly means to be “Fit to Serve, Fit for Life.”

06/14/2026

Safety Stand Down 2026 focuses on responder fitness. The campaign encourages all responders to take a proactive approach to their fitness so they are ready to serve their department and community now and in the future. The daily focus topics help responders go from the foundations of functional fitness to sustainable ongoing success.

Safety Stand Down takes place June 14-20, 2026, with the theme Fire...

06/14/2026

Situational awareness is vital to first responder safety

Gordon Graham highlights the importance of staying aware and ready. Trust your instincts and assess every scene with fresh eyes.

06/14/2026

A cold front will bring a round of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible, with the greatest threat inland from the lakes. Localized heavy rainfall will also be possible.

06/12/2026

Congratulations to the first responders who recently completed the Principles of Instruction course