ADAMS, Mass. — Three Berkshire County residents graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on Monday in Springfield. 

 

John Duval of Adams, Troy Baroli of Dalton and William Filiault of West Stockbridge were among the 25 men and women from 15 departments who completed call/volunteer recruit firefighter training Class 66. 

 

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and academy Director David C. Evans presented the certificates of completion at the Department of Fire Services' Springfield campus.

 

The volunteer training 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. It uses an online eBlended format 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.

 

The graduates were from Adams, Amherst, Blandford, Dalton, Deerfield, East Longmeadow, Hadley, Hatfield, Huntington, Orange, South Hadley District 1, Southampton, Southwick, Ware, and West Stockbridge fire departments.

 

Firefighters are often 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 academy program, recruits learn 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.

 

The graduates complete 240 hours of training. 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.