Lexington Firefighters Graduate from Training Program

Deputy State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Assistant Director Joseph Klucznik announced the graduation of the 213rd class of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s 45-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program, which takes place on June 13. 

Ryan P. Fedel and Christopher Lively from the Lexington Fire Department are among the graduates. 

“This rigorous professional training provides our newest firefighters with the basic skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely,” Ostroskey said. The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA), a division of the Department of Fire Services, offers this program, tuition-free. The ceremony took place at the Department of Fire Services in Stow, MA.

24 Graduates from 15 Fire Departments

The 24 graduates, 22 men and two women, represent the 15 fire departments of Billerica, Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Framingham, Gloucester, Lexington, Ludlow, Marshfield, Mashpee, Orleans, Tewksbury, Ware, Wayland, Wilmington and Yarmouth.

Guest Speaker Marshfield Capt. Anthony Boccuzzo

The guest speaker was Marshfield Fire Capt. Anthony Boccuzzo who spoke about how he used his training as part of a team that rescued a trapped firefighter in November 2012. Marshfield firefighters were providing mutual aid to Scituate at a fire involving two beachfront homes when a roof unexpectedly collapsed onto a crew, trapping one firefighter in the burning rubble. Firefighters called in the Mayday and proceeded to dig through burning debris to locate their colleague. Capt. Boccuzzo was part of a team honored for meritorious conduct at the 2013 Firefighter of the Year Heroic Awards ceremony for their actions in this fire.

Today’s Firefighters Do Far More than Fight Fires

Today’s firefighters do far more than fight fires. They are the first ones called to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to a gas leak. They may be called to rescue a child who has fallen through the ice or who has locked himself in a bathroom. They rescue people from stalled elevators and those who are trapped in vehicle crashes. They test and maintain their equipment, ranging from self-contained breathing apparatus to hydrants to hoses, power tools, and apparatus.

At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy they learn all these skills and more from certified fire instructors who are also experienced firefighters. Students learn all the basic skills they need to respond to fires and to contain and control them. They are also given training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, confined space rescue techniques, and rappelling. The intensive, 9-week program for municipal firefighters involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and live firefighting practice.

Starting with Class #200, the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy changed its training format from 72 students in a 12-week program to a smaller class size of 24 students that starts every three weeks. There are still 72 students on campus at any one time, but the smaller class size is expected to achieve time efficiencies without compromising learning, and in fact improve education with smaller student/instructor ratios.

Basic Firefighter Skills

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 Recruit Program all students have met national standards of National Fire Protection Association 1001 and are certified to the level of Firefighter I and II, and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operational Level by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, which is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.