Local Firefighters Graduate State Firefighting Academy

STOW, MA- 30 firefighters from 14 different fire departments graduated last week from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Milford and Wayland both had firefighters in the graduating class.

Phillip Gallagher and Douglas Lima were two graduates from the Milford Fire Department. Ryan Cheney was a graduate from the Wayland Fire Department.

Students received classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practiced first under non-fire conditions and then during controlled fire conditions. To graduate, students had to demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Fire attack operations ranged from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple-room structural fires.

The graduating classes guest speaker was Athol Fire Chief and Emergency Management Direction Joseph Guarnera. Chief Guarnera has more than 38 years of experience in the public safety field and 18 as a Mass. Firefighting Academy Instructor. He spoke to the graduates about how education and training are lifelong pursuits and that graduating from the academy was a first major step in their careers.

Photo Credit: Massachusetts Department Of Fire Services