Firefighter Aaron Shumway graduated from Class #BW08 of the Massachusetts Firefighter Academy on Friday, Feb. 5. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Firefighting Academy) -
Firefighter Justin Kelleher graduated from Class #BW08 of the Massachusetts Firefighter Academy on Friday, Feb. 5. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Firefighting Academy)
RAYNHAM — Chief Bryan LaCivita is pleased to announce that two Raynham firefighters graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy last week.
On Friday, Feb. 5, Firefighters Aaron Shumway and Justin Kelleher graduated from the academy’s Career Recruit Firefighter Training Program Class BW08, which trained at the Bridgewater campus.
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.
Firefighters Kelleher and Shumway are now certified at the level of Firefighter I and II and in hazardous material operation.
Firefighters Kelleher and Shumway joined the Raynham Fire Department in 2017 as call firefighters. Firefighter Kelleher was hired fulltime by the department in April 2019, while Firefighter Shumway was hired fulltime in July 2019. Both also serve as paramedics.
Firefighter Kelleher will be assigned to Group One and Firefighter Shumway will be assigned to Group Four.
“Firefighters Kelleher and Shumway attended the academy during a unique time as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, attending classes both virtually and in-person,” Chief LaCivita said. “However, they made the best of the situation and represented Raynham Fire well. They have shown a great commitment to the health and safety of our residents, and are sure to remain valuable members of the department going forward.”
The other 18 graduates represented the fire departments of Dedham, Hingham, Hull, Hyannis, Newton, Norwell, Norwood, Stoughton, and Westport.
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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