Cambridge Fire Companies Run Drills Regularly and Work Together Continually to Review and Improve Technical Skills

Our Cambridge fire companies are out every day training, reviewing, and improving important skills. Depending on the scope and subject matter, companies may train individually, in multi-unit drills with other companies, or even with companies from our mutual aid partner communities, as well as with the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

Some training is formally organized by the Training Division staff while much of the training is completed by company initiative. This training can occur at night, on weekends, and holidays too.

A wide range of firefighting skills are reviewed, including basic hose handling, water supply, pump ops, hydraulics, ground and aerial ladder ops, forcible entry, search and rescue, use of SCBA (self contained breathing apparatus), RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) procedures, ventilation, high angle rescue, collapse rescue, hazardous materials control, decontamination, radiation, water and ice rescue, underwater search and rescue, and much more.

Training is always ongoing in EMS (emergency medical service) skills, at both basic and paramedic levels.

A strong point in our training plan is the opportunity taken by the experienced firefighters to freely share their knowledge and experience with the newer firefighters and FFOPs (firefighters on probation). Experience does matter.

Our strong training regimen is also a factor in our national Class 1 fire protection rating. 

Photos included show just a few of our recent 2023 training drills.