STONEHAM — Chief Matthew Grafton is pleased to share that Firefighters Curtis Fothergill and Peter Witwicki have graduated from the Boston Fire Training Academy.
Fothergill and Witwicki graduated from the program on Thursday, Oct. 8. The program, run at the Boston Fire Department’s facility on Moon Island in Boston Harbor, consists of 12 weeks of rigorous training.
Part of Metro Boston Recruit Class 2026, Fothergill and Witwicki were among 48 recruits from 13 different communities.
The Summer/Fall 2026 training ran from July 20 to Oct. 8. Recruits went through basic firefighter training, which involved live fires, extinguishment techniques, hose line deployments, ground ladder placement, ventilation, search and rescue, hazardous materials, extrication, water rescue, night training and more.
Both Fothergill and Witwicki were sworn into the department in July, completing a two-week orientation before beginning the 12-week academy.
Firefighter Fothergill grew up in Ohio and served in the U.S. Navy for five years after high school. He worked as a sales associate and warehouse specialist in the private sector before moving to Stoneham. He is attending North Shore Community College, where he is studying Fire Science full-time while also working part-time as an Uber driver. He is currently completing his EMT certification.
Firefighter Witwicki graduated from Peabody High School and has spent five years working for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services, where he worked his way up to being a Service Worker, assisting individuals with developmental disabilities with daily living. Firefighter Witwicki is certified in Trauma-Informed Care, Introduction to Positive Behavioral Support, Proactive Approach to Positive Behavioral Support, and is American Red Cross CPR/AED Certified.
“Congratulations to Firefighters Fothergill and Witwicki on completing the academy and reaching this important milestone in their careers,” said Chief Grafton. “They have worked hard over the past several months to prepare for the demands of the job, and we are excited for them to begin their shifts and put their training into action. We are proud to have them serving the Stoneham community and look forward to the contributions they will make to our department.”
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