Twenty-one local firefighters graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on Wednesday.
The graduating class celebrated their accomplishment during a ceremony at the Department of Fire Services’ Campus in Springfield. The Deputy State Fire Marshal praised the new firefighters who will be on the frontlines, protecting their communities.
They had to complete a 50-day training program, which was modified due to the pandemic.
“We had a hybrid schedule, we were here for four days and then we were virtual one day of the week at our own fire stations and that really paid off because we were able to spend a lot of time together as a class and really get to know each other and push each other to succeed,” said Matt Chipman, an Amherst firefighter.