Page 8 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 The graduating fi refi ghters of Class #323 represent the fi re departments of Andover, Attleboro, Belmont, Devens, Dudley, Fitchburg, Maynard, Methuen, Norfolk, North Andover, Northborough, Orleans, Revere, Salem, Shrewsbury, Tewksbury and Westborough. (Courtesy photo) Five local firefighters graduate from Firefighting Academy Graduates of Class #323 represent 17 Mass. Fire Depts. R ecently, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefi ghting Academy (MFA) leadership announced the graduation of 34 fi refi ghters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefi ghting Training Program. This included five firefighters from Revere: Michael Banks, Anthony Dambrosio, Nicholas Hartman, Garrett McMahon and Anthony Sandoval. “Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said 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 Director Eric Littmann. “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.” Basic firefighter skills Students receive classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practice fi rst under non-fire conditions and then during controlled fi re 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 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 1001, 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 firefighters do much more than fight fires Modern fi refi ghters 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 might 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 MFA, 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 intensive, 10-week program involves classroom instruction, physical fi tness training, fi refi ghter skills training and live fi refi ghting practice. 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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