Massachusetts Department of Fire Services

#OTD in 1905, a boiler explosion in #BrocktonMA claimed 58 lives & injured more than 100 people. Tragedies like this one prompted regulations that helped make Massachusetts a national leader in boiler safety. Read more in the latest All Hands Herald: mass.gov/doc/february-2…

Happy birthday to our friend @Sparky_Fire_Dog, who turned 75 yesterday! Sparky has been helping kids and families learn how to stay fire safe at home and in their communities since 1951. In partnership with @NFPA. Keep up the great work, Sparky!

An oldie but a goodie: Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors demonstrate a backdraft using a tabletop prop. Volume up for audio narration.

The 3rd week of March is #PoisonPreventionWeek. Did you know that #CarbonMonoxide is a leading cause of accidental poisoning? You don't need to carry a special meter like this one, but you do need working #CO alarms on every level of your home! Read more: mass.gov/info-details/s…

Mass Fire Academy staff and volunteer dermatologists recently screened 74 firefighters for skin cancer at @UMassMemorial. About 22% were flagged for follow up -- more than double the average rate. Learn more and register for a screening today: mass.gov/info-details/c…

Happy St. Patrick's Day! You don't need the luck of the Irish to protect yourself from fire. Have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, create and practice a home escape plan with two ways out, and close the bedroom door when you go to sleep!

#Remember: On this date in 2017, Firefighter Joseph A. Toscano of @WatFireDept lost his life in the line of duty battling a house fire on Merrifield Ave. We honor his memory, remember his family, and recognize the loss to his brother & sister firefighters: firehero.org/fallen-firefig…

100 years ago today, Dr. Robert Goddard launched the world's first liquid-fueled rocket in #AuburnMA. The DFS Special Operations team delivered Incident Support Unit 3 to @AuburnMassFire to assist public safety personnel during this weekend's centennial celebration.

The fire service is our first line of defense against CBRNE incidents, and the DFS #Hazmat Division is the tip of the spear. These District 3 techs recently trained on Personal Radiation Detectors that they might utilize when detecting, locating, or measuring radiation.

Congratulations to the members of Career Recruit #Class337! They're graduating from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy on Friday after 10 long weeks of foundational training. Join us in Stow or visit youtube.com/dfsosfm that afternoon for video of the ceremony!

Beware the #IdesOfMarch! Test your #SmokeAlarms and #CarbonMonoxide alarms this month and every month to be sure you and your loved ones are protected.

The DFS Special Operations team delivered Rehab 6 and ISU 1 to assist @EasthamFD and regional first responders at last month's tragic ice rescue and recovery. They provided tech rescue specialists, dive team members, and incident commanders with an array of support resources.

Almost all of Massachusetts is in critical or significant drought status. This increases the outdoor fire risk at the very time when more people are spending more time outdoors, and it limits water from firefighting drawn from lakes, ponds, and streams: mass.gov/guides/drought…

These photos were taken after the @WalthamFireDept extinguished a house fire. Note that the bedroom with a closed door was nearly untouched by smoke and flames. #CloseBeforeYouDoze to slow the spread of fire into your sleeping area! Learn more from @FSRI: closeyourdoor.org

Demand for last week's firefighter cancer screenings in Bridgewater was so high that we added a fourth full day! The Mass Fire Academy offers a wide array of cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection resources to the fire service at no cost: mass.gov/news/60-firefi…

The DFS Special Operations team delivered a Rehab unit to assist #WarrenMA FD at the scene of a structure fire. This was one of many missions this winter supporting firefighter health and safety in the bitter cold. Also on hand were @CentralMASparks and #District7 Canteen.

With this week's weather, memories of last month's historic blizzard might already be fading -- but we remember! We're very grateful to the Facilities and Crib staff who worked so hard to minimize disruption to Academy training and other core DFS functions at all three campuses.

Let's hear it for the firefighters of Call/Volunteer Recruit #Class124! They graduated from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow tonight, and now they're off to protect their communities. Couldn't make it to the event? Visit youtube.com/dfsosfm tomorrow for video!

As the weather gets warmer, more people step outside to the porch or balcony to smoke -- and that means more fires. In a densely built neighborhood, a fire like this can easily spread. If you still smoke then please use a heavy ashtray and Put It Out, All the Way, Every Time.

The smoke alarm in this photo was melted almost beyond recognition by a fire like the ones that claimed three Massachusetts residents' lives this week. Smoke alarms can be the difference between life and death -- but only if they're working properly: mass.gov/info-details/s…