INDIAN ORCHARD, Mass. (WWLP) – Twenty firefighters graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy today, representing 12 fire departments across the state after 10 weeks of rigorous training.
The graduation ceremony for Class S43 comes shortly after a mass shooting incident at Brown University, highlighting the critical need for well-trained emergency responders. The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy has been operational since 1971 and trains approximately 13,000 firefighters annually.
State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine commented on the importance of the academy’s mission, stating, “It’s good to see, I mean we were a little slow over the summer. didn’t seem like there was a lot of cities and towns who were hiring firefighters, but it seems like we’re getting busier.” He emphasized that the training received at the academy prepares recruits for the demanding role of firefighting…