News...

It is that time again to root for the Berlin Fire Department in the yearly Wachusett League Fire Department Muster. This year, the Wachusett Muster will be held on Sunday, June 15, 2008, starting at noon at Central Street at the Town Common, West Boylston, Ma. Check out the pictures from previous years.

Do you know...how thick is "safe" ice? The only place that has "safe" ice? How cold is cold water? What is Hypothermia? Click here to review the flyer with information!

It is that time of year again with the Fire Department's Open House during Fire Prevention Week and the Ham and Bean Dinner. Please check the Events link for the time and dates.

In celebration of moving to their new location in Berlin, Pure Hockey would like to invite everyone to their 4th Annual Warehouse Sale on August 9th thru 12th. There will be "The $1 Raffle" which proceeds will be donated to the UMASS Memorial Children's Medical Foundation for Cancer Research, Berlin Fire S.A.F.E. program and Berlin Police D.A.R.E. program. For more information please visit the Pure Hockey website at www.purehockey.com.

Let us all be safe this 4th of July. Remember to leave the fireworks to the pros!

Congratulations to the Men's Muster Team for placing 3rd and the Women's Muster Team for placing 4th in this years Muster. Pictures will be posted soon.

It is that time again for our yearly Wachusett League Fire Department Muster. This year, the Wachusett Muster will be held on Sunday, June 17, 2007, starting at noon on the Boylston Common, Rt. 70, Boylston, Ma. Check out the pictures from previous years.

Just a reminder that Olde Home Day is on Saturday, June 9, 2007, at South Common from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Bring the family for some fun and games. Check out the pictures from Olde Home Day in 2005.

Fire Log 2006 statistics are in!

"New Open Burning Season" policy

Congratulations to our newest graduates!!

(pictured left to right: Natan Hagopian, Michael Wheeler, Chief Ricard, Jason Dumas)

Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training class #15

				(pictures courtesy of Christina Mitchell, PIO)

Firefighters Graduate Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training Program State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan and Director of Emergency Response and Homeland Security Kevin Partridge presented certificates of completion to members of the Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training class #15 in a graduation ceremony at 7:30 p.m. this evening. The recruit graduation took place at the Littleton High School, Littleton, MA. The Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training program is unique in that it delivers a standard recruit training curriculum, meeting national standards, on nights and weekends to accommodate the schedule of firefighters in suburban and rural areas. Bringing the training closer to the firefighters often means more firefighters can participate. This program was held at the Great Barrington Fire Department. The Fire Chiefs’ Association of Massachusetts persuaded the Legislature to financially support this innovative delivery of off-site training. The thirty-one graduates, twenty-nine men and two women, represent the nine fire departments of: Berlin, Harvard, Holden, Littleton, Lunenburg, Rutland, Sterling, Wayland and West Boylston. Today’s Fire Department Does Much More than Fight Fires Today’s firefighters do far more than fight fires. They are the first ones called to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to a gas leak. They may be called to rescue a child who has fallen through the ice or who has locked himself in a bathroom. They rescue people from stalled elevators and those who are trapped in vehicle accidents. They test and maintain their equipment, ranging from self-contained breathing apparatus to hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus. In this Massachusetts Firefighting Academy program, they learn all these skills and more from certified fire instructors who are also experienced firefighters. Students learn all the basic skills they need to respond to fires and to contain and control them. They are also given training in public fire education, incident command, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, self-contained breathing apparatus, stress management, water rescue procedures, confined space rescue techniques, and rappelling. The intensive program includes classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and live firefighting practice. Graduates have completed 180 hours of training on nights and weekends. Basic Firefighter Skills Students receive classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practice first under non-fire conditions and then during controlled fire conditions. To graduate, students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Fire attack operations range from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple room structural fires. Upon successful completion of the Call/Volunteer Firefighter Training program, these firefighters are now be eligible to take an examination for certification to the level of Firefighter I or II by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council.