Jake Gallagher holds his certificate as he is surrounded by colleagues after his graduation from the Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program on 11/1/23, L-R: Fairhaven Fire Chief Todd Correia; Jake’s dad Kevin Gallagher, retired Fire Chief in Acushnet; Jake; State Fire Marshal Jon Davine. Photo courtesy of Sydney Gallagher.
Press Release
State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Director Jeffrey P. Winn announced the graduation of 25 recruits from the Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program on 11/1/23. The graduates received certificates of completion at a ceremony held at Matthew J. Kuss Middle School in Fall River.
The graduating firefighters represent the fire departments of Acushnet, Dartmouth Fire District 2, Dartmouth Fire District 3, Dighton, Fairhaven, Freetown, Halifax, Lakeville, Marion, Onset, Plympton, and Rehoboth.
“Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “The hundreds of hours of foundational training they’ve received will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely.”
“Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire service to train new recruits,” said Director Winn. “Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, tonight’s graduates have developed the tools they’ll need to protect their communities.”
Video of the ceremony is available on the Department of Fire Services’ YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/ dfsosfm.
The Call/ Volunteer Firefighter Recruit 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. Making the training more accessible means more firefighters can participate and allows them more time to practice training skills with instructors.
The MFA, a division of the Department of Fire Services, has offered the program since 2003. About 3,000 call and volunteer recruits have graduated since then, completing 240 hours of training.
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