New class with 1st female recruit begin Fire Dept. training

The Cranston Herald ·

A new class of 17 Fire Department trainees started the first full week of their 20-week training on Monday. The class includes Rebecca Lema, who, if she graduates, will become the first woman to serve on the Cranston Fire Department.

“First we teach them to be safe, then we teach them the dangerous stuff,” Deputy Fire Chief James Beckman explained.

He said the recruits all passed the written exam, swimming test, the ladder climbing exercise and a “confidence crawl,” crawling 25 feet in pitch-black conditions. Requiring the ladder test and confidence crawl screens out applicants who are likely to panic because of fear of heights or small, enclosed spaces. Despite the screening and testing, it is typical for one recruit to drop out during the rigorous training, said Beckman.

In July, the City of Cranston received a $2,765,310 federal grant to hire 15 firefighters. The SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant carries the cost of firefighters’ salary and fringe benefits for two fiscal years. The other two recruits are on the city payroll. All are paid $1,769.50 gross bi-weekly while attending the 20-week academy. All of the Cranston recruits who complete the training will be offered a position on the Cranston Fire Department, with a starting gross salary of $2,169.50 bi-weekly.

Candidates are: Daniel Adamo, Johnston; Jeffrey Bibby, Warwick; John Campion, Cranston; Christian Coupe, Cranston (no relation to Fung’s Director of Administration, Robert Coupe); Scott Cute, Pawtucket; Kyle DeMerchant, Richmond; Justin DiMaio, Cranston; Gregory Duquette, Warwick; Michael Feeley, North Kingstown; Butch Giguere, North Kingstown; John Jordan, Warwick; Rebecca Lema, Central Falls; Robert McCormick, Woonsocket; Michael Mollis, North Kingstown; Saalvatore Savattere, Cranston; Trevor Sheehan, Warwick; and Gordon Simard, Warren.