Eighteen Maine firefighters have completed rigorous training and graduated from the Maine Fire Service Institute’s Officer Training Academy to prepare them for leadership roles at fire departments across the state.
A graduation ceremony was held Saturday, March 17, at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast, an outreach center of the University of Maine. The Maine Fire Service Institute is a department of Southern Maine Community College and provides training and education services to Maine’s firefighters. It is located on SMCC’s Midcoast Campus in Brunswick.
The weeklong academy focused on legal issues, budgeting, media relations, conflict resolution and other topics that are part of the job for chiefs and other fire officials. Those who complete the academy meet the training requirements for national fire officer certification through the Pro Board Fire Service Professional Qualifications System, also known as Pro Board.
The graduating officers were:
- Augusta Fire Rescue: Richard Beaudoin
- Bar Harbor Fire Rescue: Basil Mahaney
- Biddeford Fire Department: Derick Ouellette
- Caribou Fire & Ambulance: Brian Lajoie, Danny Raymond, John Thornton
- Gardiner Fire Rescue: Eric Davis, Andrew Santheson
- Old Town Fire Rescue: Samuel Weissman
- Rockland Fire Rescue: Thomas Shook
- Saco Fire Rescue: Eric Lane
- Sanford Fire Rescue: Dale Bourque
- Scarborough Fire Rescue: Jeff Grinnell, Michael Haven
- Union Fire Department: Melissa Bond
- Wells Fire Rescue: Wayne Ham, David Tobeck
- Windham Fire Rescue: Michael Dube
Photo caption:
Front row (left to right): Andrew Santheson (Gardiner), Michael Haven (Scarborough), Dale Bourque (Sanford), Richard Beaudoin (Augusta), Jeff Grinnell (Scarborough), Melissa Bond (Union), Danny Raymond (Caribou), John Thornton (Caribou), Basil Mahaney (Bar Harbor), and Wayne Ham (Wells)
Back row (left to right): Derick Ouellette (Biddeford), Eric Lane (Saco), Thomas Shook (Rockland), Brian Lajoie (Caribou), Eric Davis (Gardiner), Michael Dube (Windham), Sam Weissman (Old Town), and David Tobeck (Wells)