Woburn Firefighters Among MA Firefighting Academy Grads

STOW, MA — Woburn firefighters Christopher Kenton and David Macaulay graduated on March 17 from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA) in Stow after completing the 10-week Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services has announced.

Kenton and Macaulay were two of 23 recruits in Class #309 — representing 16 Massachusetts fire departments — to complete the program. The recruits are hired by their local fire department and then sent to MFA for training at no cost to the recruits or the municipality.

"First responders are on the frontlines protecting their communities, and these newest firefighters are needed now more than ever," said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. "The rigorous professional training they've received provides them with the physical, mental and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely."

Students at the MFA learn basic firefighting techniques like search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, fire attack and life safety lessons. They also learn non-fire responses like dealing with drug overdoses, gas leaks and hazardous materials spills, in addition to training for rescue operations during other emergencies, like vehicle crashes.

Additionally, recruits are trained and tested on their ability to maintain equipment like a self-contained breathing apparatus, hydrants, hoses and power tools.

At the academy, certified firefighters lead classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and firefighting practice. The latter is conducted under both non-fire conditions and controlled fire conditions.

Students who have successfully completed the program have met the national standards of National Fire Protection Association 1001.

The MFA, with campuses in Stow, Springfield and Bridgewater, provides training for Massachusetts firefighters in all stages stage of their careers, from recruit to chief officer.

In addition to Woburn's Kenton and Macaulay , the MFA Class #309 featured firefighters from: Acton, Chelmsford, Fitchburg, Gloucester, Haverhill, Holden, Hudson, Medfield, Middleton, Nantucket, Shrewsbury, Walpole, Weston, Wilmington and Winchester.