3 Beverly Firefighters Graduate From MA State Academy

BEVERLY, MA — Three Beverly firefighters were among the 35 graduates of the state's 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program Class #315.

Theodore Beuchert, Peter Kallas and Christopher Timson graduated on Friday.

"Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever," State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said. "The hundreds of hours of foundational training they've received will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely."

The Beverly graduates joined those from Ashland, Attleboro, Concord, Fitchburg, Harwich, Haverhill, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marlborough, Methuen, Orleans, Revere, Seekonk, Tewksbury, and Weston in Class #315.

"Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire service to train new recruits," said Firefighting Academy Director Jeffrey Winn. "Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, today's graduates have developed the tools they'll need to work seamlessly with veteran firefighters in their home departments and in neighboring communities as mutual aid."

To graduate, students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack.

Modern firefighters train for and respond to all types of hazards and emergencies. They are the first 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 for an icy water rescue, an office worker stuck in an elevator, or a motorist trapped in a crashed vehicle.

They test and maintain their equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus, hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus.

The intensive, 10-week program involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)