Chief Larry Fisher is pleased to announce that a Merrimac Firefighter graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s 240-hour Firefighter I/II program.
Firefighter Skylar Bianculli graduated on Thursday night, June 29, from the Firefighter I/II program at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. He is an EMT and has been an on-call firefighter since October 2022.
During the 16-week training, firefighters learn the basic skills they will need when responding to fires, including how to contain and control fires, public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquid control, stress management, firefighter self-rescue and vehicle extrication.
In order to graduate, firefighters must complete 240 hours of training, all on nights and weekends, while demonstrating proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack in situations ranging from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multi-room structure fires.
“We are proud of the effort that Skylar put in to becoming a better-prepared member of our team,” said Chief Fisher. “Skylar traveled to Stow two nights a week and on weekends, and did online coursework for four months to complete this program. Skylar’s graduation from this program is another example of the commitment that our members make to provide skilled fire and medical services available to Merrimac and the other communities that we support.”
About The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy
At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, firefighter recruits learn a wide range of skills in an intensive 10-week program. Certified and more experienced firefighters lead classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and firefighting practice. Students are given training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, confined space rescue techniques and rappelling. Upon successful completion of the Recruit Program, all students have met national standards of National Fire Protection Association 1001. About 14,000 firefighters have graduated from the Career Recruit Training program in more than 450 classes.
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