What type of training do firefighter recruits need to complete before they can start working?
Every community is different but in Malden we are required to be certified First Responders, which is a certification just under EMT which also requires training both written and hands-on. Also, CPR and defibrillation certification is required. We are also required to be Firefighter I/II which we go to an academy for 3 months. I personally went to Stow, MA for my training and it was from January to March, Monday thru Friday for eight hours a day. Each day included role call, personal training, classroom and evolutions which we were taught, practiced and graded on. What do you find most rewarding about your work? The most rewarding part of my job is helping people in my community with protection of life and property. What is most challenging about your job? What’s challenging is that every call is different and we always run upon something we may have never seen before. Because of this we must come up with a solution quickly. That goes for every call including car accidents, medicals, f
