BARNSTABLE – The Department of Fire Services will hold its annual Fire & Life Safety Education Conference in Southbridge on Sep. 21 and 22, bringing fire educators, prevention officers, teachers, care specialists, and others together to share knowledge, build partnerships, and recognize the 2022 Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year.
In addition to hosting 30 workshops led by professionals from the fire service, public education, public health, community risk reduction, and related fields this year, this year’s conference will provide an opportunity to hear from Capt. Brian Tyson, who developed a youth firesetting intervention program for the Barnstable Fire Department; Karla Klas, who manages the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center’s prevention programs; and Jessica Sondgeroth, Community Risk Reduction outreach program coordinator for South Carolina State Fire.
State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey will present the 2022 Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year Award to one of this year’s 14 nominees at 1:00 pm on Sept. 22. This year’s distinguished nominees are:
• Firefighter Kelsey Bisio of the Norton Fire Department;
• Firefighter-Paramedic Eric Johnson of the Hanover Fire Department;
• Firefighter-EMT Christopher Kowal of the Milford Fire Department;
• Firefighter Anthony Leite of the Lowell Fire Department;
• Firefighter Matthew Morin of the Sunderland Fire Department;
• Firefighter Jessica Murray of the Wales Fire Department;
• Lieutenant Hank Perkins of the Boston Fire Department;
• Firefighter Michelle Sacco of the Chelmsford Fire Department;
• Lieutenant Dan Santry of the Brockton Fire Department;
• Lieutenant Michael Shulman of the Gloucester Fire Department;
• Captain-Paramedic Brian Tyson of the Barnstable Fire Department;
• Firefighter Ross Vona of the Brookline Fire Department; and
• Firefighter Jason “Otis” Wilson of the Millis Fire Department.
Media are welcome to attend the conference at the Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center, located at 14 Mechanic St. in Southbridge. The days’ events will run from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, and a summary of the workshops and speakers is online at the Department of Fire Services’ website.
