ACTON — Chief Robert Hart is pleased to announce that two members of the Acton Fire Department graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy on Friday.
Firefighters Bill Crowley and James Sumner were among 16 firefighters from seven departments to graduate from the academy’s Career Recruit Firefighter Training Program Class 291 on Friday, May 7. Graduates were recognized at a ceremony at the Department of Fire Services headquarters in Stow.
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.
“Both Firefighter Crowley and Firefighter Sumner joined our department as paramedics last April, at a time when we were in the thick of the pandemic, navigating challenges none of us ever had before that time,” Chief Hart said. “They have each demonstrated a deep desire to serve this community and help people over the past year, and it is with great pride we congratulate each of them on reaching this milestone.”
Firefighters Crowley and Sumner are now certified at the level of Firefighter I and II and in hazardous material operation. Firefighter Crowley will return to work on Group 3 and Firefighter Sumner will now work on Group 4.
About 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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