CHESHIRE, Mass. — As juniors and seniors consider their futures, Hoosac Valley High School officials strive to introduce them to various industries and accomplished professionals through the Pathways program.

 

On May 22, State Fire Marshal Jon Davine was one such official, returning to his alma mater to give students an inside look into his profession and offer some words of advice.

 

During the 50-minute presentation, he outlined his career journey, which began with his service in the Marine Corps, continued through work as a bricklayer, firefighter, and fire captain, and ultimately led to his current leadership role in public safety. He later visited Hoosac Elementary.

 

The Adams native and 1989 Hoosac graduate was chief of the Northampton Fire and Rescue Department when he was tapped by the state in 2023. He was the first fire marshal from Western Massachusetts and, according to the state Department of Fire Services, the first of its recruits to "work his way to the top job using a system designed to make that possible."

 

His journey demonstrated that students do not need to have everything figured out at this stage in their lives.

 

"I think it helped kind of relieve some of the nerves that I have about taking that next step and going off and pursuing college," senior Nathan Lapinski said.

 

"He went through a couple … career opportunities before he went to firefighting, before he became the fire marshal, so I think it helped relieve some of the nerves about trying to figure out what I want to do so early."

 

He also never expected to become a fire marshal, which shows students that unexpected opportunities can come from working hard and staying true to who they are, senior Ella Bissaillon said.

 

"I think being from such a small town, we're not always able to have the same opportunities as everyone else," she said.

 

"So, seeing that he came from Hoosac, we can really relate ourselves to him and what his success has been, and hope that we can see that in our futures."

 

Davine emphasized lifelong learning and the value of practical skills developed in high school, which gave him the foundation and tools he continues to use in his career. He added that success also depends on punctuality, networking, perseverance, teamwork, and maintaining a strong reputation.

 

In his role, Davine leads the Department of Fire Services, which oversees firefighter training, fire and explosion investigations, code enforcement, and specialized response teams across the state.

 

A major aspect of his position involves a range of administrative responsibilities, including budgeting, staffing, equipment procurement, developing curriculum, and coordinating support and resources for local fire departments.

 

"We hope they find a career that they love, you know. I will say that I've never felt like I'm going to work. I've always, you know, loved going to work. I don't wake up in the morning and dread going to work," Davine said.

 

The experience also introduced students to current opportunities, such as volunteering with a fire department — a role that not only supports the community but also addresses ongoing staffing challenges.

 

The things these students will remember when they leave high school are the connections that they make along the way, said Adams Chief Engineer David Lennon. 

 

When students leave school, they look for a sense of purpose and camaraderie — both of which exist in the fire service, while also giving back to the community that has needs, he said. 

 

"I think with your smaller communities, Adams, Cheshire, Savoy, what we rely on is our volunteer firefighters to protect our communities. It's not big enough for a career department," Davine said. 

 

"So we need the members of the community to volunteer, and want to help their community to assist and help their fellow citizens." 

 

Like many communities, Cheshire is struggling to recruit volunteers because of residents' busy schedules, Cheshire Fire Chief Tom Francesconi said.

 

To help address the shortage, the Fire Department is actively encouraging new members and has created a junior program for ages 15 to 18 so students can experience firefighting and potentially pursue it as a career in Cheshire or other departments, he said.