BRIDGEWATER—State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine tonight announced the graduation of 26 recruits from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program.
The members of Call/Volunteer Recruit Class #122 graduated at the Department of Fire Services’ Bridgewater campus. They represent the fire departments of Acushnet, Dartmouth Fire District 1, Dartmouth Fire District 2, Dartmouth Fire District 3, Dighton, Lakeville, Marion, Plympton, Rehoboth, Swansea, West Bridgewater, and Westport.
“Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “The hundreds of hours of foundational training they’ve received on nights and weekends will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely.”
“Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire service to train new recruits,” said Academy Director JP Seivane. “Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, tonight’s graduates have developed the tools they’ll need to protect themselves, their communities, and each other.”
The Martin H. McNamara Outstanding Student Award was presented to Firefighter Nicholas Sheehan of the Marion Fire Department. The award is named for Martin “Marty” McNamara V, a call firefighter with the Lancaster Fire Department who lost his life in the line of duty in 2003 while battling a fire in a multifamily home. It is presented to one recruit in each graduating call/volunteer training class and recognizes their academic and practical skills, testing, and evaluations over the course of the program.
Video of the ceremony will be posted tomorrow at the Department of Fire Services’ YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/dfsosfm.
The Call/Volunteer Firefighter Recruit Training Program is unique in that it delivers a standard recruit training curriculum, meeting national standards, on nights and weekends to accommodate the schedule of firefighters who work or go to school full-time. Making the training more accessible means more firefighters can participate and allows them more time to practice training skills with instructors.
The MFA, a division of the Department of Fire Services, has offered the program since 2003. More than 3,000 call and volunteer recruits have graduated since then.
Today’s Firefighters Do Far More than Fight Fires
Today’s firefighters are all-hazards emergency responders. They are the first ones called to chemical and environmental emergencies, ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to fentanyl overdoses to gas leaks. They may be called to rescue children who have fallen through the ice or locked themselves in a bathroom. They rescue people from stalled elevators and crashed vehicles. They must properly test, maintain, and utilize equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus.
At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, they learn all these skills and more, including the latest science of fire behavior and suppression tactics, from certified fire instructors. They also receive training in public fire safety education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, and self-rescue techniques. The intensive program involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice.
Students receive classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practice first under non-fire conditions and then during controlled fire conditions. To graduate, students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Fire attack operations range from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple room structural fires.
Graduates have completed 240 hours of training on nights and weekends. Upon successful completion of this program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1010, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications. In addition, they may seek certification to the level of Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials Operational Level Responder.