Bristol Training Future Firefighters At New Academy

By Justin Muszynski, The Bristol Press

April 26, 2022

With an eye on a large amount of turnover expected soon in the local fire department and a scarcity of open seats in the state’s fire academy, Chief Richard Hart looked at the situation as an opportunity rather than a problem.

Hart was appointed as chief in November and, as such, was briefed on the situation arising that would involve 14 retirements effective June 30. To make matters more difficult, a shortage of open training slots in the state’s fire academy made it impossible to fill all those vacancies.

The solution city officials favored most was to do its own version of the academy and conduct the training in-house for the first time in Bristol’s history.

“I came up with the idea of doing it here,” Hart said, standing just a few paces away from water bursting out of a fire hydrant as seven new recruits trained on Vincent P. Kelly Road.

City officials could have chosen the option of paying additional overtime to existing firefighters to ensure enough were on duty at all times in the city’s five fire stations. In addition to the grueling effects the added hours could have, this option wasn’t very cost effective.

According to Hart, the overtime route would have swelled the usual overtime budget by at least 33%.

Although the $245,000 price tag of training the recruits using Bristol instructors is an upfront cost, Hart says it will save the city money in the long term. The mayor, city council and board of finance were all on board once they had all the necessary information.

The seven recruits began their 12-week training a few weeks ago and are coming along nicely, instructors Craig Henderson and Jim Plaster said. The recruits begin each day at 7:30 a.m. with an hour of personal training tailored to firefighting. After a 30-minute break, Henderson and Plaster have them from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with adjunct instructors – who are also Bristol firefighters – appearing on select days for various types of training. Trainees clean up for the day for half an hour once training is done before getting some rest and starting all over again the following morning.

Additionally, each week includes a case study in a different line of duty death in firefighting.

“Some days it’s all classroom, some days it’s split, some days it’s all hands-on,” Henderson said.

Henderson and Plaster, who are both captains with the Bristol Fire Department, said the in-house training is shorter than the 17 or 18 weeks that would be spent at the state’s fire academy. Additionally, recruits are working on equipment used in Bristol and are learning all the skills specifically used for being a firefighter in the city.

“That’s one of the biggest benefits to training them in-house,” Plaster said. “The state teaches them more generically. This is taylormade to Bristol. They get the added knowledge of using our equipment, our tools, our facilities.”

Recruits who graduate the state’s fire academy would generally need field training to learn skills specifically for being a firefighter in the city. Learning on Bristol’s equipment with instructors from the city makes that additional field training unnecessary. In other words, Henderson said, it cuts down on the time it takes to get recruits ready to be a certified firefighter ready to respond to emergencies.

“We can have them trained and on the line in a reduced time,” Henderson said. “It’s a reduced learning curve.”

Bristol’s training academy also allows for a better instructor-to-student ratio. And with a smaller group of recruits who won’t be going their separate ways after graduation on June 17, the students will already have a bond that will be invaluable when it’s time to fight fires.

“We’ve got a good bunch of guys,” Plaster said, referring to them as a tight-knit group. “They’ve got a nice cohesive bond already.”

Plaster and Henderson each have a number of years of training under their belts. They have both taught at the Wolcott Regional Fire School. Plaster also taught for 15 years at the state’s fire academy and has instructed for a private company. Henderson has also taught as an adjunct instructor at Gateway Community College.

Bristol’s academy is primarily being done on the Engine Company 4 grounds, which has its own facility that is regularly used for training, though it has never been used for recruits with no experience in firefighting. Some training is also being done in the facility at the Wolcott Regional Fire School.

Both captains and the chief said they are very pleased with the way the training academy has gone thus far.

“It’s worked unbelievably well,” Hart said, adding that he believes recruits will learn about 25% more by doing their training here in Bristol.

“The city has been very supportive of this program,” Plaster added. “And the chief has given us everything we need.”

With things looking so well with the academy that’s currently under way, Hart already has his eyes on the future.

“We’re hoping to do another large class in a few years.”

Justin Muszynski can be reached at 860-973-1809 or jmuszynski@bristolpress.com.