Two Firefighters Graduate from State Academy

Two Shrewsbury firefighters graduated from the state's Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training Class.

Shrewsbury Firefighters Sean McNiff and Thomas Schofield were among the 37 recruits to successfully complete the program over the last six months. State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan presented the certificates of completion to the graduates.

State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan presented certificates of completion to members at the graduation ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2011. The recruit graduation took place at the newly renovated Department of Fire Services Complex and Training Facility in Stow.

The class is administered under the supervision of Massachusetts Fire Academy Director Edmund Walker and Program Coordinator Richard Swartz. The class is taught by dedicated, experienced firefighters and fire officers from across the state.

Shrewsbury Fire Chief James Vuona said the Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training Program, "is unique in that it delivers a standard recruit training curriculum, meeting national standards, on nights and weekends to accommodate the schedule of firefighters in suburban and rural areas."

The graduates, 34 men and three women, represent the 22 fire departments of: Ayer, Bolton, Carlisle, Douglas, Dunstable, Harvard, Holden, Holliston, Hopedale, Lunenburg, Millbury, Phillipston, Rutland, Sherborn, Shirley, Shrewsbury, Templeton, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wayland, West Boylston and Weston. Rutland Firefighter Cara Welsh received the Class 38 Outstanding Student Award.

The intensive program includes classroom instruction in hazardous materials, breathing apparatus, flammable liquids, incident management, ladder operations, search and rescue, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting. Students receive classroom training in all basic firefighter skills needed to attain certification to Firefighter I/II levels. They first practice skills under non-fire conditions and later progress to controlled fire conditions known as ‘live burn’ exercises.  All graduates have completed 180 hours of training on nights and weekends. All this is training is completed while they continue to work their regular (non-firefighting) day jobs. The Shrewsbury Fire Department is a combination department that includes both full-time career firefighters and a supplemental (paid part-time) ‘on-call’ division.

Shrewsbury Firefighters McNiff and Schofield will continue to train on a monthly basis with the . They are trained and available to respond to all fires and major emergencies that may face the town of Shrewsbury and beyond. Both Firefighters McNiff and Schofield aspire to become members of the full-time fire department and will be taking the civil service examination in May of 2012. Many members of the full-time staff are former members of the ‘on-call’ staff and are also graduates of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.