Fire Explorers Program Inspires Foxborough Teens

Recent high school graduates Colin Sweeney and Matthew Pearce say that they’ve always wanted to become firefighters. Now, with the help of their ‘Fire Explorers’ adviser, Foxborough firefighter and paramedic Andrew Puntini, and the rest of the Foxborough Fire Department, it is a dream that is close to becoming a reality.

Puntini says he brought the ‘Fire Explorers’ program into Foxborough in 2009. Since then he has been working with these two young men, along with high school students Sean Philbrin and Ryan Morrissey, preparing them for careers as firefighters. The curriculum includes hands-on experience, as well as more than 2000 hours of community service. Puntini, a former Explorer himself, says proudly that his students have “learned the basics of fire fighting.”

Last month, the four students, along with Puntini, had the opportunity to travel to the Illinois Fire Service Cadet Training School for some intensive education.        

According to Puntini, when the boys are training here in Massachusetts, they are fairly limited as to the type of situations to which they are exposed. However, the Illinois Training Center offers “live fire training”, which the boys were more than happy to participate in. According to Pearce, the training they received at the Cadet school was more “real life” than their past drills.

“There was real fire, smoke, people screaming. It was much more real,” he says.

Sweeney, Pearce, and Philbrin all agree that being part of this group has kept them focused throughout their high school years.

“We wouldn’t be where we are now without this program,” says Sweeney.

Sweeney and Pearce, who graduated last spring from Foxborough High, both have plans to further pursue their educations as firefighters. With both young men saying they hope to one day return to the Foxborough Fire Department for a full-time career, one thing is certain; the residents of Foxborough will be able to rest easy knowing such well-trained firefighters are waiting to serve and protect their community.

Fire Explorers is a Learning for Life career education program for young men and women ages 14 to 21 years old. For more information, please contact Andrew Puntini at the Foxborough Fire Department.