Three New Beverly Firefighters Graduate From State Academy

Three new Beverly firefighters graduated Friday from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

It was the 220th class of the 45-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program.

The new Beverly firefighters are Peter Lauranzano, Ryan Mitchell and Nicholas Tanzella.

They were among 23 graduates, all men, from 11 fire departments across the state, including Abington, Acushnet,Bourne, Braintree, Greenfield, Leominster, Middleton, Stoughton, Waltham and Westborough.

“This rigorous professional training provides our newest firefighters with the basic skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely,” said State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan. The fire academy in Stowe offers this program tuition-free.

Bourne Fire Chief Martin Greene was the guest speaker at the graduation. Greene spoke about how the recruit training is just the first step in a firefighter’s career and that firefighters need to continue to build on that training. He used his own career as an example. He went on to obtain specialized training to become a regional Hazardous Materials Response team leader and eventually, Deputy Director of the state’s Hazardous Materials Emergency Response program.

At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy they learn all the basic skills they need to respond to fires and to contain and control them. They are also given training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, confined space rescue techniques, and rappelling. The intensive, nine-week program for municipal firefighters involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice.