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Boston Globe

Deputy state fire marshal among 27 graduates from Mass. firefighting academy

Advertisement Christopher Watson of the Norfolk Fire Department was awarded the Martin H. McNamara Outstanding Student Award for his standout performance throughout the course, the statement said. Fournier has been in her role since 2017, after being the highest-ranking civilian employee of the Massachusetts State Police for five years and previously the director of human resources and director of administrative services for the Department of Fire Services. The training includes classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice with the 'latest science of fire behavior and suppression tactics,' addressing the variety of situations firefighters are called to, fire officials said. To graduate, each participant each must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack, the statement said. Jake Wark, a spokesman for the state fire marshal's office, said in an email that Fournier's participation in the program has given her a deeper understanding of the demands on local firefighters and the professionalism of its training staff. 'Outside work, Deputy Fournier has run the Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, and several other major obstacle course races,' Wark said. 'Firefighters are tactical athletes, and training to the Fire Academy's standards for physical, mental, and technical skills was a major personal accomplishment.' The graduates represented over a dozen Massachusetts cities and towns, including Carlisle, Dover, Grafton, Harvard, Holliston, Hopedale, Lancaster, Mendon, Millis, Millville, Norfolk, Northbridge, Pepperell, Sherborn and Sterling, the statement said. Advertisement Call/Volunteer Recruit Training Class #116 graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on Wednesday. The 27 new firefighters represent more than a dozen Massachusetts fire departments. Department of Fire Services Correspondent Adam Sennott contributed to this report. Talia Lissauer can be reached at