- Department of Fire Services
Media Contact
Jake Wark, Public Information Officer
SPRINGFIELD — State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy leadership today announced the graduation of 18 firefighters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program. Video of the ceremony will be posted to the Department of Fire Services YouTube channel this afternoon.
Career Recruit Class #S45’s original graduation date was initially scheduled for June 1 but was pushed back by one day so students and staff could attend the funeral of Boston Firefighter Robert T. Kilduff, Jr., who died in the line of duty on May 23.
“Massachusetts firefighters commit themselves to protecting their communities and each other from every kind of hazard,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “We can never forget the danger that these men and women confront in service to others. We can never lose sight of the risk to their life and safety. And we must always remember those brave souls who make the ultimate sacrifice so that others might live.”
Today’s graduating firefighters represent the fire departments of Bellingham, Chicopee, North Adams, Palmer, Pittsfield, Springfield, Ware, and West Springfield.
The Richard N. Bangs Outstanding Student Award, which is presented to one recruit in each graduating career recruit training class, was presented to Firefighter Angel Reyes of Springfield Fire & Emergency Services. The award is named for a longtime chair of the Massachusetts Fire Training Council and reflects the recruit’s academic and practical skills, testing, and evaluations over the course of the 10-week program.
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. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1010, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, and are certified to the levels of Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, which is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.
Today’s firefighters do much more than fight fires: They train for and respond to all types of hazards and emergencies. They are the first ones called to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies, ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to gas leaks to industrial chemical spills. They may be called to rescue a child who has fallen through the ice, an office worker stuck in an elevator, or a motorist trapped in a crashed vehicle. They test and maintain their equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus.
At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, recruits 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 education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, and self-rescue techniques.
The MFA provides recruit and in-service training for career, call, and volunteer firefighters at every level of experience, from recruit to chief officer, at campuses in Stow, Springfield, and Bridgewater.
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