Governor Healey, DFS Celebrate Opening of New Fire Academy Burn Building

Governor Healey, DFS Celebrate Opening of New Fire Academy Burn Building 

New Training Structure Enhances Public Safety and Strengthens Regional Fire Training Capacity 

BRIDGEWATER—Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey joined State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, Massachusetts Firefighting Academy staff, and fire service leaders from across Massachusetts today to celebrate the opening of a new live-fire training building at the Department of Fire Services’ Bridgewater campus. 

“Every day our firefighters put their lives on the line to protect the people of Massachusetts,” said Governor Healey. “They deserve the very best training to prepare for the dangers they face. This new burn building provides exactly that. It’s a critical investment in their safety, their readiness, and their ability to return home to their families. Whether they’re just starting their careers or have decades of experience, this facility will help ensure they’re equipped to meet any challenge.” 

“This new facility offers a wide range of training scenarios to make sure that our firefighters are prepared to respond no matter what emergency they face,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We’re grateful for the leadership of Fire Marshal Davine and his team at the Department of Fire Services for their efforts to ensure that our firefighters have the very best training available to serve the people of Massachusetts.” 

The newly completed 5,400-square foot burn building features 11 interior burn rooms across three floors and is designed to simulate a wide range of fire scenarios commonly encountered in Massachusetts. Training exercises will cover fires on triple-decker porches, interior fire extension, garage fires, basement entry through a bulkhead, standpipe operations, roof ventilation, and more. As with the Academy’s other burn buildings, firefighters will train utilizing straw and food-grade wooden pallets to ensure consistent temperatures and reduce toxic products of combustion. 

“The Massachusetts fire service is a fundamental part of our homeland security infrastructure,” said Public Safety & Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “Our firefighters are on the front lines – not just at fires but at explosions, building collapses, mass casualty incidents, hazardous materials events, and more. Investing in this new burn building is an investment in safer communities across the Commonwealth.” 

The Bridgewater campus is one of the three Department of Fire Services facilities dedicated to supporting local fire departments statewide. Primarily serving Massachusetts’ six southeastern counties, the campus supports more than 100 local fire departments and houses personnel from the DFS Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit, Boiler & Pressure Vessel Safety Program, State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit, and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.  

Each year about 120 career, call, and volunteer recruits graduate from the Bridgewater campus. Prior to the new burn building’s opening, they conducted live fire training in a multipurpose Search & Rescue prop. Veteran firefighters also train at the Academy to hone and maintain their perishable skills, and the Bridgewater facility is the focal point for its Structural Collapse Rescue Technician program. 

“Opening the Bridgewater burn building is a major milestone in the development of a site that supports more than 100 local fire departments in southeastern Massachusetts,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “In just a few short years since it opened in 2020, it’s grown into a full-service facility that offers a full array of fire training, protection, and investigation resources for the region.” 

The Bridgewater burn building is part of a $18 million infrastructure investment for the 18-acre campus. The project also includes paving to the far end of the campus, where the building is located; a water reclamation system designed to reduce overall water use; and upgraded utilities to support future growth. The facility was designed by Dore & Whittier out of Newburyport, constructed by Bond Building, and funded through the Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance’s capital budget.