For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Canton Firefighter Graduates from Massachusetts Firefighter Academy

CANTON — Chief Charles Doody is pleased to announce that Firefighter Austin McGonagle graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA) on Friday, Aug. 9.

Firefighter McGonagle was among the 37 firefighters representing 23 departments to graduate from the MFA’s Career Recruit Firefighter Training Class 275. Graduates were recognized at a ceremony at the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services headquarters in Stow Friday.

The 10-week program teaches the essentials of fire and non-fire conditions, life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack.

McGonagle, age 22, was hired by the department in October 2018. He is a Canton resident and a graduate of Canton High School. He is a certified paramedic and a graduate of the Massasoit Community College paramedicine program.

Firefighter McGonagle is assigned to Group 3. His first shift will be on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

Following his graduation from the academy, McGonagle is now certified as a Firefighter I/II and certified in Hazardous Materials Operations.

“The academy provides our firefighters with the skills needed to perform their work effectively and safely,” Chief Doody said. “We are proud to have Firefighter McGonagle as part of our department and I look forward to watching him take this next step in his career.”

The other 36 graduates represented the fire departments of Beverly, Easton, Fairhaven, Foxborough, Gloucester, Holden, Hopkinton, Mansfield, Medfield, Methuen, Milford, Nahant, Norwood, Reading, Saugus, Scituate, Seekonk, Swampscott, Watertown, Westborough, Westwood and Winchester.

The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy:

At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, firefighter recruits learn a wide range of skills in an intensive 10-week program. Certified and more experienced firefighters lead classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and firefighting practice. Students are given training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, confined space rescue techniques and rappelling. Upon successful completion of the Recruit Program, all students have met national standards of National Fire Protection Association 1001.

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