by Aurora Provencher, On-Line Editor

     The Maine State Fire Academy held its inaugural Fire Officer I Academy at Loring Commerce Centre in Limestone this month.  

     The program is designed to be a state-of-the-art leadership administration and command curriculum, which was developed by Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute and adapted by Maine Fire Education for Maine call, volunteer, and career fire officers. This program, whose motto was "None Before Us", is one of many firsts says Steve Willis, Fire Administrator for Maine Fire Training & Education.   

Steve Willis addresses the graduates

     It was the first statewide fire officer academy with representatives from 15 departments. It was the first utilization of the Loring Commerce Centre and its facilities by Maine Fire Training & Education.  It was the first trial of a very demanding set of candidate pre-academy expectations.  Each candidate was expected to have met pre-academy goals prior to arrival.  If any of those goals were not met the candidate was sent home.

     Students were subject to competing for acceptance, reading nearly 500 pages of resource information, accomplishing 8 projects and term papers prior to arriving at the academy and preparing physically and academically.  The Fire Officer I Academy was a regimented 10 day session consisting of strict guidelines and procedures that the participants had to adhere to.  This was a program of intense physical and academic participation for these Fire Officer candidates.  This program is also the first state certification of fire officers in Maine.  "Despite the challenges that all these firsts represent, it has been a great academy," Mr. Willis says.  

      Keynote speaker for the inaugural graduation ceremony, Michael Michaud, President of the Maine Senate, praised the graduates by saying "You are truly an elite group, drawn from the best firefighters throughout the state."  He went on to congratulate the Fire Officers for completing such a rigorous program and said that "...the truth is you have each been deserving of public respect, admiration, and gratitude ever since you began serving as fire fighters."  

     President Michaud expressed his admiration for the graduates determination to protect the welfare of others and his confidence that "what skills they learned at the academy will strengthen their local departments when they return".  

     He closed his remarks with a powerful statement, saying "Take a moment to pause and reflect on the dangers inherent to each of you.  Firefighters are a special breed.  Protecting the public from fire is a noblest calling and it carries with it real risk."

Fire Officer I Academy 2001 Graduates

     Sherman Lahaie, Deputy Administrator for Maine Fire Training & Education gave the most poignant and powerful statement of the day.  He told the graduates "Today is your day...your day in infamy.  The future is up to you and each and every one of you will leave your mark whether it be large or small."  These graduates should be congratulated on their accomplishments and their determination to succeed as fire officers.  

     The Academy offers a scholarship to help resource poor communities or those with financial barriers send their qualified fire officer candidates to the program.  This year's inaugural recipient of the Chester E. "Chet" Wiles Maine State Fire Academy Scholarship was Scott Cyr, a volunteer firefighter from Fort Fairfield and a career firefighter from Presque Isle.  Chet Wiles was a veteran and captain at Brunswick Naval Air Station and a 25 year veteran part time fire instructor with Maine Fire Service Training and Maine Fire Training & Education.  The scholarship was established by Chet's family in December 1999 to serve as a legacy to Chet's commitment to training education in Maine.  He was highly respected and cared deeply for the firefighters of Maine, especially those who were volunteer members.  "Thanks to Chet's passion for fire training, thousands of firefighters spanning more than two generations were better prepared to prevent and suppress fires," states Steve Willis.

     Firefighter Jim Graves from the Waterville Fire Department had the honor giving the Student Remarks at the graduation ceremony.  Summing up the intent of the Fire Officer I Academy, firefighter Graves said "I believe it is our responsibility to take what we have learned this week and bestow it on our subordinates and colleagues and network as a group to share any and all information that we can.  That will truly be a milestone for the fire service."

     This program will have a serious and immediate impact on the departments which participate.  It will guide their existing officers and better the future candidates to help protect, promote, and prosper within their communities and departments.  It will leave a lasting impression on all those who pass through its rigorous doors and go on to contribute to the betterment of their respective departments.  It ensures that the fire service in Maine will remain at the forefront of fire training and education for its members and its communities.  

For more information on the Maine State Fire Academy, please contact Maine Fire Training and Education: 207-767-9555.