West Newbury Fire Department Congratulates Graduate from State Academy

For Immediate Release

Friday, June 5, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 978-769-5193
Email: jessica@jgpr.net

West Newbury Fire Department Congratulates Graduate from State Academy

WEST NEWBURY — Chief Michael Dwyer would like to congratulate firefighter and West Newbury resident Cooper Carifio for completing the 52nd Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA) Call/Volunteer Firefighter Recruit Training Program.

Carifio joined 39 other graduates in celebrating their accomplishments during a ceremony at Pentucket Regional High School Thursday night.

“Completing this academy is a great feat and I am pleased to congratulate firefighter Carifio on his achievement,” Chief Dwyer said. “This training will help improve his skills and increase his safety while in the field, leading to a safer community for our residents.”

Men and women from 21 fire departments across the Commonwealth participated in the program, which is designed to allow call and volunteer firefighters to receive formal and consistent training from certified fire instructors at the MFA in a format that accommodates their schedules.

To graduate, firefighters were required to demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack (ranging from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multi-room structural fires).

Call and volunteer firefighters began the program in late January. They met twice a week in the evenings and on weekends to complete more than 240 hours of both classroom and hands-on training. Firefighters learned the basic skills they need to respond to fires including how to contain and control them, public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, firefighter self-rescue and vehicle extrication.

Recently, the MFA implemented an online format that helps students to better control their workload. The online program gives students the opportunity to complete more work outside of class, take quizzes online and allows for more time to practice training skills with instructors.

###