THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 8, 2026 Page 5 26 Local Firefi ghters Graduate from Firefi ghting Academy Everett Recruit Recognized as Outstanding Student S TOW—State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefi ghting Academy leadership today announced the graduation of 26 fi refi ghters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefi ghting Training Program. Video of the ceremony will be posted to the Department of Fire Services YouTube channel this afternoon. “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 will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs eff ectively and safely.” “Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fi re service to train new recruits,” said MFA Recruit Program Coordinator Dean Babineau. “Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, today’s graduates have developed the tools they’ll need to work seamlessly with veteran fi refi ghters in their home departments and in neighboring communities as mutual aid.” The graduating fi refi ghters of Career Recruit Class #338 repreRepresenting Everett, from left to right: Andrew Collyer, Michael Russo (Outstanding Student of Class #338), and Erick Thompson. (Courtesy photo) sent the fi re departments of Andover, Ashland, Attleboro, Beverly, Chelmsford, Dover, Everett, Lawrence, Medford, Nantucket, North Reading, Revere, Southborough, Tewksbury, Wakefi eld, Walpole, and Westford. The Richard N. Bangs Outstanding Student Award, which is presented to one recruit in each graduating career recruit training class, was presented to Firefi ghter Michael Russo of the Everett Fire Department. 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 10week program. Students receive classroom training in all basic fi refi ghter skills. They practice fi rst under non-fi re 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 fi re attack. Fire attack operations range from mailbox fi res to multiple-fl oor or multiple-room structural fi res. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1010, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifi cations, and are certifi ed to the levels of Firefi ghter 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 Qualifi cations. Today’s fi refi ghters do much more than fi ght fi res: They train for and respond to all types of hazards and emergencies. They are the fi rst 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 offi ce worker stuck in an elevator, or a motorist trapped in a crashed vehicle. They test and maintain their equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 Earn an EASY$20 every month. Just maintain an average monthly balance of $5,000, make $1,500 in direct deposits each month, and complete three transactions of any kind (deposit, withdrawal, transfer, or bill pay).* *New checking account customers only. (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus. At the Massachusetts Firefi ghting Academy, recruits learn all these skills and more, including the latest science of fi re behavior and suppression tactics, from certified fire instructors. They also receive training in public fi re education, hazardous material incident mitigation, fl ammable liquids, stress management, and self-rescue techniques. The MFA provides recruit and in-service training for career, call, and volunteer fi refi ghters at every level of experience, from recruit to chief offi cer, at campuses in Stow, Springfi eld, and Bridgewater.
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