Firefighter academy recruits to graduate Thursday and Friday

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

Massachusetts recruits battled controlled flames at the academy in Stow recently. (Produced by Darren Durlach/ Globe Staff; Video by David L. Ryan/Globe Staff)

A ceremony will be held in Stow Friday for 69 firefighters graduating from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s recruit program, representing 41 fire departments across the state, said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan.

“This rigorous professional training provides our newest firefighters with the basic skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely,” Coan said in a statement.

To graduate from the 12-week program, students must show proficiency in numerous areas, including search and rescue, fire attack, water supply, and ladder operations. They also practice their skills in non-fire conditions and in live, controlled fire situations, Coan’s office said.

On Thursday, 67 members of two classes of the Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training Program will also receive certificates of completion in a ceremony at the state Department of Fire Services in Stow. The members of the two classes represent local call and volunteer firefighters from 31 departments throughout the state.

The firefighters in both programs are responsible for more than just fighting fires. They must also know how to respond to environmental, chemical, and rescue emergencies, as they are often the first responders to these scenes.

Attending and speaking at the Friday ceremony will be Worcester firefighter David Ryan, an instructor at the state’s firefighting academy, who responded to the Dec. 8, 2011 residential fire that killed Worcester firefighter Jon Davies Sr. as he rescued a resident in the building.