Stoneham Recruit Graduates State Firefighting Academy

STONEHAM, MA — Stoneham firefighter recruit Nickolas Toussaint was among the state's latest class of recruits who graduated from the state Firefighting Training Program in Stow last week, as announced by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.

The program spans 50 days, including classroom training and controlled fire practice to learn firefighting skills.

Recruits must show proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack to graduate.

A total of 21 graduates from 11 fire department across Massachusetts recently completed their firefighting academy training.

Other graduates outside Stoneham represented departments including Andover, Beverly, Danvers, Dracut, Middleborough, Sudbury, Truro, Wakefield, Weston and Woburn.

The Stoneham Fire Department celebrated Toussaint's milestone on Monday in a statement.

Toussaint, a Stoneham resident and Stoneham High School graduate, served with the U.S. Army as an infantryman before he was honorably discharged in 2019.

Toussaint has since worked for the Stoneham Public Schools as a part-time janitor.

He was sworn in as a Stoneham firefighter in July prior to his academy training.

“Firefighter Toussaint just completed service to our country and now we are proud to have him as a member of the Stoneham Fire Department where he can continue to serve our community,” Stoneham Fire Chief Matt Grafton said on Monday.