FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:           December 10, 2002

Contact:       Chief Leo Gaudette

Phone:         978-454-2113

Dracut Firefighter Completes Recruit Training Academy

Chief Leo Gaudette of the Dracut Fire Department is pleased to announce the graduation of Scott McMeniman from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA). Scott was a member of the 154^th Class of the fifty-five day Recruit Firefighter Training Program. In this rigorous program he learned the basic skills needed to effectively and safely perform his job. The program is offered to Massachusetts firefighters employed by professional fire departments such as Dracut’s.

As a firefighter today, McMeniman will do far more than just fight fires. He will be one of the first ones to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies such as the presence of carbon monoxide, fuel spills and gas leaks. With his crew, he may be called to rescue a child who fell through the ice or locked himself in a car. On the busy streets of Dracut they will often need to extricate people trapped in vehicle accidents. They will also regularly face a multitude of medical emergencies.

“At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Scott learned a tremendous number of skills from certified fire instructors who are highly qualified and experienced firefighters,” said Chief Gaudette. The chief is a certified fire instructor himself and strongly advocates this training. McMeniman learned how to respond to fires and contain and control them. He also received training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, water rescue procedures, confined space rescue techniques, and rappelling. The intensive eleven-week program for municipal firefighters involves classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills, and live firefighting practice.

“Scott’s a quality worker,” said Chief Gaudette, “He showed great enthusiasm on our call department a few years ago and then became the top candidate from our dispatcher pool. He even received his EMT certification during that time.” Becoming a Dracut Firefighter is a long and difficult process. Interested candidates serve on the call department where their only job is to be gradually exposed to various firefighter skills through training. They do not work as actual firefighters, but are given the opportunity to see if the job is right for them. Then successful candidates can become full time dispatchers where they are thrust into the heart of fire department operations. After an indeterminate amount of time top candidates, like McMeniman, attend recruit training at the MFA. Since graduation McMeniman has returned to Dracut as a nationally certified professional firefighter.