Six Berkshire County firefighters â including three from the Hancock Fire Department â were among the most recent class to complete training in the state Firefighting Academy.
William Graves, William Kipp and Jamieson Williams, all from the Hancock department, as well as Tanelle Ciempa of the Adams Fire Department, Trevor deRis of the Great Barrington Fire Department and Charlee Sanchez-Rios of the North Adams Fire Department received their certificates of completion on Dec. 12 at the Department of Fire Services' Springfield campus.
Twenty-seven firefighters from 17 departments statewide completed the Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Class, according to a news release.
âFirst responders are on the frontlines protecting their communities and these newest firefighters are needed now more than ever," Massachusetts Firefighting Academy Director David C. Evans said in the release. "We have taken greater advantage of online learning technology, reduced group training size to increase social distancing, implemented screening, and required mask-wearing to keep our instructors and students as safe as possible during these uncertain times."