Belmont Welcomes New Firefighter Graduate

BELMONT, MA — Belmont welcomed a new firefighter this month who graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

Brandon Cunningham graduated as a member of MFA Class 285 and will be assigned to Belmont Fire Group 1. Cunningham was one of 16 graduates in his class from 10 different fire departments.

"First responders are on the frontlines protecting their communities and these newest firefighters are needed now more than ever," said MFA Director Evans. The MFA, a division of the Department of Fire Services, offers this program, tuition-free.

At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, trainees learn all these skills and more from certified fire instructors who are also experienced firefighters. Students learn all the basic skills they need to respond to fires, to contain and to control them. They also receive training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, confined space rescue techniques, and rappelling.

The intensive, 10-week program for municipal firefighters involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice. In response to the pandemic, the 10-week curriculum was reorganized to take advantage of online learning technology while ensuring plenty of practical skill experience on-campus with instructors.