Two groups of firefighters honed their skills in recent sessions offered by the Grant-Harney Training Association.

Sixteen firefighters from the two counties participated in an academy in January that covered basic and entry-level skills. The 40-hour program covered safety, survival, fire behavior, water supply, fire streams, fire extinguishers and other topics.

Despite bad weather, 16 firefighters from Grant County trained for an additional 20 hours over a weekend in February to learn skills that will put them at the Fire Fighter I level.

Instructors for the classes came from fire departments in the two counties as well as the state Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.