STOW — Middleboro firefighters Ryan DeCoste and Dylan Hanson were among the graduates of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program.

Class members were honored at a ceremony Friday, March 29 at the academy in Stow. 

 “Massachusetts firefighters are on the front lines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. “The hundreds of hours of foundational training they’ve received will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely.”

“Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire service to train new recruits,” said Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Director Eric Littmann. “Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, today’s graduates have developed the tools they’ll need to work seamlessly with veteran firefighters in their home departments and in neighboring communities as mutual aid.”