STOW, MA – Twenty-seven firefighters from across Massachusetts, including Deputy State Fire Marshal Maribel Fournier, have completed the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Program.
The graduates of Call/Volunteer Recruit Class #116 were honored at a ceremony held on the Academy’s main campus in Stow.
The class includes fire departments from 15 different communities, including Carlisle, Dover, Grafton, Harvard, Holliston, Hopedale, Lancaster, Mendon, Millis, Millville, Norfolk, Northbridge, Pepperell, Sherborn, and Sterling.
“Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” Davine told the audience.
“The hundreds of hours of training they’ve completed on nights and weekends have equipped them with the physical, mental, and technical skills required to do their jobs safely.
This is a tremendous accomplishment, and I’m especially proud of Deputy State Fire Marshal Fournier, who completed the program while continuing to lead our agency.
Fournier, who represents the Sterling Fire Department, has been Deputy State Fire Marshal since 2017. He previously served as acting director of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.
During her time at the Department of Fire Services (DFS), she oversaw major projects such as facility expansions in Stow and Springfield, as well as the development of DFS’s newest campus in Bridgewater. Fournier also played an important role in expanding remote learning options during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The instructors at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy bring decades of experience to new recruits,” said the Academy’s Deputy Director of Training, Dennis A. Ball. “Through a mix of classroom lessons and hands-on training, these graduates have built the essential skills they will need to keep their communities safe.”
During the ceremony, Firefighter Christopher Watson of the Norfolk Fire Department received the Martin H. McNamara Outstanding Student Award.
The Martin “Marty” McNamara V Award, named after a Lancaster call firefighter who died in the line of duty in 2003, recognizes recruits who excel in academics, practical skills, and overall performance during training.
A video of the graduation ceremony will be posted on the Department of Fire Services’ YouTube channel. The Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program is tailored to those who work in call and volunteer departments, providing the same rigorous curriculum as full-time firefighter training while accommodating participants’ work and school schedules.
Since its inception in 2003, more than 3,000 firefighters have completed the program, which trains first responders in smaller communities to protect lives and property.
The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, which is part of the Department of Fire Services, provides training programs to fire departments across the state.
