THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2026 Page 15 30 Local Firefighters Graduate from Firefighting Academy Three from Revere graduate academy S TOW—State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy leadership announced this week the graduation of 30 fi refi ghters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefi ghting Training Program. Three firefighters from Revere, Michael DiCato, Domenic DiLiegro, and Ryan King completed their training. “Massachusetts fi refi ghters 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 Firefi ghting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire 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 firefighters of Career Recruit Class #341 represent the fi re departments of Acton, Auburn, Billerica, Chelsea, Danvers, Malden, Methuen, Northborough, Revere, Southborough, Walpole, Waltham, Westborough, Westwood, and Winthrop. 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 John Shanley of the Waltham Fire Department. The award is named for a longtime chair of the Massachusetts Fire Training Council and refl ects 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 fi refi ghter skills. They practice fi rst under non-fi re conditions and then during controlled fi re conditions. To graduate, students must demonstrate profi ciency 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 multipleroom structural fires. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1010, Standard for Fire Fighter ProfessionPictured from left to right: Ryan King, Michael DiCato and Domenic DiLiegro. al 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 (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus. At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, recruits learn all these skills and more, including the latest science of fi re behavior and suppression tactics, from certifi ed fi re 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. The graduating fi refi ghters of Career Recruit Class #341 represent the fi re departments of Acton, Auburn, Billerica, Chelsea, Danvers, Malden, Methuen, Northborough, Revere, Southborough, Walpole, Waltham, Westborough, Westwood, and Winthrop.
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