The 45th Annual Firefighter’s Drill School hosted by the Old Forge Fire Department is set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 16 through 18.
Registration will be held at the Old Forge Fire Hall on Thursday, September 15 beginning at 6 p.m. and Friday, September 16, at 7:30 a.m. and again on Saturday, September 17 at 7:30 a.m.
Classes will be held Friday and Saturday at the Strand Theatre, Railroad Avenue and the George T. Hiltebrant Recreation Center and Pavilion on North Street.
Event co-organizer Jack Graham invites the public to observe the outdoor instructional classes from a safe distance.
Instructional programs on Friday will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the annual Push Ball Competition will take place in front of the Fire Hall.
At 8 p.m. the Double Image Band will entertain at the Old Forge Fire Hall. The public is invited.
This year’s Fire School will carry the theme, In Memory of Our Fallen Heroes, in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.
A Memorial Service is planned at the Fire Hall at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday featuring guest speaker Lt. Michael Wilbur of FDNY.
The Annual Firefighter’s Parade will begin up Main Street at 3 p.m. and will include 33 entries. It will be led by the FDNY Honor Guard.
The presentation of trophies and awards will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Fire Hall, followed by live music by Dusty Puppies. Again, the public is invited.
Food will be available for purchase along with commemorative Fire School shirts and hats.
At noon on Sunday, winners of the 16th Annual BIG BUCKS GIVE-A-WAY will be announced at the Fire Hall.
Tickets are $50 each with a maximum of 2,000 sold.
