In a substantial push to bolster the skills and safety of Massachusetts firefighters, Governor Maura Healey has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art live-fire training facility. The Department of Fire Services' Bridgewater campus is now home to a 5,400-square foot burn building, equipped with features intended to replicate an array of fire situations which firefighters regularly battle within Massachusetts. As reported by mass.gov, Governor Healey emphasized the importance of providing firefighters with top-notch training "to prepare for the dangers they face."
Comprising 11 interior burn rooms across three floors, the burn building invites firefighters to train under conditions mirroring typical fire scenarios, from triple-decker porch blazes to basement fires that require specific entry techniques. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, praising the efforts to ensure the highest training standards, articulated the facility's offering of "a wide range of training scenarios," preparing firefighters for any emergency they may face. Housed on an 18-acre campus, the Bridgewater location serves more than local fire departments 100, supporting southeastern Massachusetts' various fire safety needs.
The facility was meticulously designed by Dore & Whittier and came to fruition through the construction efforts of Bond Building, funneling a total of $18 million into infrastructure development, including a resource-conserving water reclamation system and utility upgrades anticipating future growth. Public Safety & Security Secretary Terrence Reidy highlighted the frontline role of firefighters "not just at fires but at explosions, building collapses, mass casualty incidents," underscoring the new burn building as an investment in community safety.
Annually, approximately 120 recruits, spanning career, call, and volunteer backgrounds, graduate from the Bridgewater campus, a focal point for the Structural Collapse Rescue Technician program. The academy had previously relied on a multipurpose Search & Rescue prop for live fire training. Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine acknowledged the opening of the burn building as a "major milestone" in the evolution of a comprehensive training site which has grown significantly since its 2020 inauguration to become a vital hub for fire training in the region.
