Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, Stow, MA Videos

It's National Intern Day! DFS hosted the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security's Summer Internship Program this week, giving students from across Massachusetts a sample of the services we offer to local fire departments and communities. They toured the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, got a close-up look at the tools on our Hazmat apparatus, walked through a Rehab and Incident Support Unit, and met troopers, K9s, and robots from the Massachusetts State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit. Naturally, the class photo with a drone that has thermal imaging capabilities.

The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors recently delivered the National Fire Academy's Fire Investigator: First Responders course to students drawn from the fire service and law enforcement. The two-day class gives an entry-level overview of fire chemistry; the first responder's role in fire suppression and fire investigation; and the importance of evidence identification and preservation. It's a prerequisite for the MFA's Fire Investigator program.

#TechRescue Tuesday: Members of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy's Technical Rescue Program replaced and rehabbed all the equipment used for our Rope Rescue courses last week. This annual process ensures the safety of our students and instructors as they deliver this foundational tech rescue curriculum to firefighters across the Commonwealth.

Last month, students from the Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy visited the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Springfield as part of a day-long immersion program we offer vocational/technical schools. Many thanks to our instructors and support staff for giving the kids a great day on campus!

Firefighters are tactical athletes, and working in this heat and humidity puts serious strain on them. DFS Rehab units like the one that supported Franklin Fire Department and #Hazmat techs at yesterday's Tier 3 chemical spill are always available for local departments during extreme weather. Call early and often! Learn more: https://ow.ly/cMK450SxlIj

The first Saturday of the month is #SmokeAlarmSaturday! #SmokeAlarms and #CarbonMonoxide alarms are your family's first line of defense in an emergency at home. Today is a great day to test them and be sure you're protected! Learn more about these vital life safety tools: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarms

DFS UTVs and Gators like this one will be part of our Special Operations presence at tomorrow's concert and fireworks display in Boston, while Hazmat and Bomb Squad technicians will be ensuring a safe environment for all. #ThankYou to our team members and all the public safety personnel who won't be taking a day off tomorrow!

The Burn Building at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy's Stow campus recently underwent two weeks of necessary maintenance. Suspending burn training during that time could have caused major delays for recruits and their departments statewide. Huge thanks to Worcester Fire Department and Chief Martin Dyer for allowing us to bring dozens of recruits, apparatus, and equipment to the Worcester Fire Training Center to keep our Recruit Program running during that process!

The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy recently hosted several state agency personnel who may be called upon to use a fire extinguisher in the course of their duties. They received some classroom instruction followed by instructor demonstrations and practical exercises.

DFS Rehab 7 en route to support the Concord MA Fire Department at their four-alarm fire. Today's hot, humid weather makes any outdoor activity a challenge, but firefighters face extra hazards because of their heavy gear and strenuous work. Rehab units are here to help them cool off, rehydrate, and stay healthy: https://ow.ly/j1XL50SlgVQ

This fire started with careless disposal of #Smoking materials, which ignited nearby combustibles and spread to the home. In a densely built area, a fire like this one can easily spread to neighboring structures. In rural and suburban communities, it could spread to brush and wooded areas. If you still smoke, or if you have guests who do, always use a heavy ashtray with water or sand. Put it out, all the way, every time: https://ow.ly/8mgB50SiSgf

A DFS Incident Support Unit and #Drone unit supported the District 14 Technical Rescue team at a drill in Stow this week. About 35 firefighters from more than a dozen departments simulated the search for and rescue of two injured civilians in a remote, heavily wooded area. The ISU serves as a mobile command post with a full array of voice, video, data, and radio comms, as well as monitors to view maps and real time digital and thermal footage from a drone. Read more about our Special Operations resources and how they can assist local departments at emergencies and pre-planned events: https://ow.ly/Bz1b50ShufE

Students from the South Shore Vocational Technical High School visited DFS recently as part of their Fire Cadet Training Program. The program is a joint effort by SouthShore Technical, Hanover MA Fire Department, and all other fire departments serving the school's communities. Students got to observe firefighter training on the Academy drill yard, learn about our #Hazmat Division and #SpecialOperations resources, and observe a Massachusetts State Police accelerant-detection K9 demonstration. Thanks for visiting!

The first Saturday of the month is #SmokeAlarmSaturday! Have you tested your #SmokeAlarms and #CarbonMonoxide alarms this month? These devices can save your life -- but only if they're working properly. Be sure you have them on every level of your home so you and your loved ones are protected: https://ow.ly/67ol50RsVq8

This week, the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy took delivery of the new Ladder 3 at our Bridgewater campus. It's a 2024 KME AerialCat with a 109' aerial, and staff have been training on it for two days. It will succeed a 79' Pierce that is beloved but also 35 years old! Volume up for dramatic accompaniment.

This past weekend, the #LithiumIon battery from an electric scooter exploded in a #ChelseaMA apartment, injuring five occupants. The Chelsea Fire Department responded minutes later and extinguished the fire before it could spread further. Overcharging, overheating, or abusing lithium-ion batteries can cause them to fail violently. Read more and find additional battery safety resources: https://ow.ly/zO3Z50S0TRQ

#Remember: "It is a tradition of our Nation ... to pay homage to those who have fallen in defense of our land, our people, and our principles. These men and women honor America by their sacrifice. America should honor them by its devotion to those purposes for which they perished." On #MemorialDay, we honor the memory of all who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country as members of the United States Armed Forces. We recognize also their loved ones here at home, who made their own sacrifice.

The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy's #RapidIntervention program recently delivered a two-day RIT training at the Westford Fire Department. This course covers the theory of rapid intervention teams and practical applications aimed at locating a firefighter using the PASS device and removing them from a hostile environment. Thanks to our hosts, instructors, support staff, and especially our students!

More than half of last year's fatal fire victims did not have working smoke alarms at home. Most were age 65 or older. Our "Dear Grandma" PSA promotes smoke alarm usage by older adults. You can download it in English and Spanish at https://ow.ly/8NQP50RIfgT for use on your department's social media or public access cable channel.

The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy delivered its Sterling F4/FCX Training at the Devens Fire Department recently. This one-day course in our #RapidIntervention program includes two hours of classroom instruction on these #Bailout kits followed by hands-on training. Thanks to our hosts, instructors, and support staff for making it possible!