The Sterling Fire Department recently hosted a Massachusetts Fire Academy Call/Volunteer Fire Fighter I/II class. Class #020 started in September 2007 and recently graduated 28 newly trained call/volunter firefighters, February 7th 2008. All of the students represented many of the towns listed here in our District 8 page.
Ashburnham, Ayer, Bolton, Holden, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Lunenburg, Princeton, Rutland, Shirley, West Boylston, Westminster, Winchendon.
Another class being run in Groton, has members of the Townsend Fire Department training for thier Firefighter I/II.
Lunenburg Fire will be holding a FF I/II class in the fall of 2008!
A new Book!
The Massachusetts Fire Academy has decided on the text book to use for future recruit classes after January 2009. Jones and Bartlett - FUNDAMENTALS OF FIREFIGHTER SKILLS, 2ND ED.
AMBULANCES FOR AFGANISTAN:
From the April 2008 ALARM, the Ashburnham Fire monthly newsetter.
Ambulances for Afghanistan: You’d think with one of the most controversial wars in recent memory that we’d have other things to talk about. Well since our town manager is serving in Farah, Afghanistan, and we are just a small community. We still need to support our troops and no matter what the cause, we have come to the realization that we as a nation aren’t going to get out of this very soon. So after being in touch with the town manager and understanding that they are patrolling in heavily devastated and war torn areas, without any means of transporting injured soldiers or other casualties, The Chief pulled together a program called Ambulances for Afghanistan, and basically sent out a calling for anyone out there that may have an ambulance to donate, that was still in working condition and could still have some life left in it. Fire District Fourteen had a 1988 Ford F350 that was still in operating condition and stepped up to the plate and made the donation. We have the Ambulance in our hands and have spent some time on it, removing the lettering and going through the vehicle and cleaning and polishing it. The truck is in remarkably great shape for its age, and we are now in the process of trying to obtain enough equipment for it to be stocked and get it sent over to Afghanistan. We are running into a few small snags with the paperwork getting ready and signed off from both the US government as well as the Afghani government for acceptance. But we will have this vehicle ready to be shipped as soon as they clear everything. Town manager Kevin Paicos is working as a special forces medic and is scheduled to be released back to the States sometime soon. We’d like to have this vehicle shipped and in Farah before he does come home so he can train those that are still there on its use and equipment. So time is of the essence. Again the Chief of the department has an idea, and runs with it and makes it happen, it’s just amazing how much support he gets from the Mass Fire Chiefs Association as well as the community. Thank You Chief Zbikowski for all you do, and Thank You all who stand behind him and this department to make things happen. Here’s a picture of the Ambulance being readied for shipment to Afghanistan.
Check out the photo section on this page!
submit your department photos!
District 8 Fire Department web links
If a department patch is missing a web link, it is because they may not have one.
The Town flag has been used for some departments because their Fire Patch is not available online.
Submit your department photos for publication here!. Incidents, training, retirement, musters whatever you have. send it to: Webmaster@fitchburgfirefighters3128.org
IN MEMORY OF IN MEMORY OF 
CLICK THIS PATCH CLICK THIS PATCH
