Press Release  Brockton Firefighter Honored as Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year

SOUTHBRIDGE — Brockton Firefighter Peter Reardon was named the 2026 Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year today, an honor that recognizes his extensive contributions to community fire safety in the City of Champions, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine said.

“Firefighter Pete, as he’s known to residents, visits the Council on Aging every month to deliver fire safety education,” State Fire Marshal Davine said. “Just about every week, he meets with a senior walking group for informal talks on staying safe at home. He’s enlisted the help of translators to ensure that every resident gets this important information – no matter where they’re from or what language they speak. But that’s not all. He also visited over 250 elementary school classrooms last year, connecting with about 6,300 students. And those connections have made a difference – fire safety test scores have doubled since he became his department’s Public Education Officer.”

Firefighter Reardon’s award capped off a two-day conference that brought hundreds of firefighters, educators, service providers, and others together for dozens of dynamic workshops and featured guests – including Joel Bartlett and Shannon Turner of the Executive Office of Aging & Independence, or AGE, who gave the keynote address. 

According to the US Fire Administration, Massachusetts had the second-lowest rate of fire deaths in the nation in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. Overall, fires in Massachusetts fell to a 25-year low in 2025, with injuries to residents and firefighters reaching their second-lowest levels in modern history. State Fire Marshal Davine said consistent, statewide fire and life safety education for vulnerable residents like kids and older adults has played a role in these declines.

“We put a premium on firefighter training in Massachusetts,” the Marshal told conference attendees. “We’re proud of our strong and forward-thinking Fire Code. But your work as fire and life safety educators is helping us prevent fires and get better outcomes when they happen.”

The conference followed this week’s announcement that the Healey-Driscoll Administration has made nearly $2 million in funding available for the annual Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) and Senior SAFE grant programs. The grants support targeted, age-appropriate fire and life safety education for school-age children and senior citizens, including smoke and carbon monoxide alarm installation and other services for older adults.

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