Chief Justin Alexander is pleased to announce that two Easton firefighters recently graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA).
Firefighters Allison Andrews and Grace Detterman were among 24 firefighters from 14 departments who graduated from the MFA’s Career Recruit Firefighter Training Program Class #BW28. They graduated on Feb. 2 after completing the 10-week program.
Firefighter Andrews served as a call firefighter and EMT for the Lakeville Fire Department beginning in June 2020. She also worked as an EMT with Brewster Ambulance, starting in December 2020.
Firefighter Andrews was a Division 1 cheerleader for Bryant University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications. Her father is a lieutenant with Middleborough Fire; Firefighter Andrews worked in sales for five years before deciding to follow in her father’s footsteps and pursue a career in the fire service.
Firefighter Detterman previously worked as an EMT for Weymouth EMS/South Shore Health EMS. She is a certified nurse aide (CNA) and has experience in the emergency departments at South Shore Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth.
With previous experience working with children at the Boston Children’s Hospital, Firefighter Detterman also hopes to get involved with the department’s Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program in the future.
“We are pleased to welcome Firefighters Andrews and Detterman to the department and congratulate them on completing the Career Recruit Program,” Chief Alexander said. “Both bring valuable experience in emergency medical care and we look forward to watching their careers grow in Easton.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the number of female firefighters has increased over the last 10 years. In 2020, there were nearly 90,000 female firefighters in the United States — approximately 9% of all firefighters in the U.S. With Andrews and Detterman, Easton Fire now has three female firefighters on its staff.
The Easton Fire Department would also like to thank Sen. Walter Timilty for attending the graduation and presenting Firefighters Andrews and Detterman with Senate Citations.
About the MFA Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program:
The intensive, 10-week program teaches the essentials of fire and non-fire conditions, life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack. It involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, firefighters are certified at the level of Firefighter I and II and in Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations.
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