Assemblyman Josh Jensen (R,C,I-Greece) recently sent a letter to Attorney General Letitia James to respectfully request her office investigate the circumstances surrounding the medical emergency suffered on March 3, 2021 by Watertown Firefighter Peyton Morse, who tragically succumbed to his injuries on Friday, March 12, while engaged in a “mask confidence”training exercise at the New York State Academy of Fire Science.

With an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, it can be determined if any actions leading up to and during the training exercise may have led to Firefighter Morse’s medical emergency and, ultimately, his line of duty death. Additionally, Jensen is requesting that the attorney general investigate if any inappropriate actions or systemic behavior at the fire academy may have previously put firefighters from across the state in danger or caused injuries due to training protocols inconsistent with the qualifications of a professional firefighter.

“With this situation and others from over the past two years, it is critical that the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control closely examine all practices of the State Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls to ensure that it is properly training the state’s firefighters, while not putting the health and safety of these men and women at an elevated level of risk,” said Jensen.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Firefighter Morse as well as his brothers and sisters at the Watertown Fire Department, LaFargeville Fire Department and the Shaker Road-Loudonville Fire Department.”