Local Call/Volunteer Firefighters Graduate State Training Program
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Deputy Director Joseph Klucznik presented certificates of completion to members of the Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Class 60 on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the Department of Fire Services' Springfield campus.
The 28 graduates, 25 men and three women, represent the 18 fire departments. Berkshire County firefighters graduating and their departments are Andrew Heath and Quinn Whitney (Cheshire); Matthew McNulty and Joshua Thomas (Dalton); Jessica Dezieck, Mohamed Morell and Mike Powell (Great Barrington); Tyler Collins (Lee); Cody Funk and Kyle Hutson (Monterey); David Smith (New Marlborough); and Michael Renton (Richmond).
The program delivers a standard recruit training curriculum, meeting national standards, on nights and weekends to accommodate the schedule of firefighters in suburban and rural areas. Bringing the training closer to the firefighters often means more firefighters can participate. In 2014, an online eBlended format was implemented that has students doing more work outside of class and taking quizzes online. This allows students more time to practice training skills with instructors and to better control their own workloads and time commitments.
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, hoses, power tools, and vehicles.
In this Massachusetts Firefighting Academy program, 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, firefighter self-rescue, and vehicle extrication. The intensive program includes classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and live firefighting practice.
Graduates have completed 240 hours of training on nights and weekends. Upon successful completion of this program, all students have met the standards of National Fire Protection Association 1001. In addition they have the ability to become 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.
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