The 2024 Rhode Island State Weekend was held recently at the National Fire Academy (NFA) in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Fifty-seven Rhode Island, and ten Massachusetts firefighters attended eight 2-day classes offered by the NFA. The following classes were offered: Incident Command System for Structural Collapse, Preparations for Initials Company Operations, Exercising Leadership within Communities, Exercising Leadership to facilitate Adaptive Change, Wildland Interface Firefighting for Structural Firefighters, Leadership in Supervision: Frameworks to Success, Incident safety Officer, New Fire Chief 1: Administrative Issues, and Fire Investigations for First Responders.

After a Friday evening orientation in the Campus Auditorium where NFA Superintendent Eriks Gablicks addressed the group, a Social was held at the Campus Pub & Recreation Center for all students participating in the Weekend. Also included was the State of South Carolina. After Saturday’s classes ended, a memorial service honoring the Rhode Island’s Line of Duty Deaths (LODDs) was held in the Campus Chapel and concluded with a procession to the Campus Memorial led by Chief Robert Bradley’s bagpipes.

Firefighters representing Rhode Island were from the following Towns: Bristol, Burrillville, Coventry, Exeter, Lincoln, Narragansett, North Kingstown, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, Tiverton, Warren, Westerly, and T.F. Green Airport.

A huge “Thank You” to the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation and the Rhode Island State Firefighters League for their financial support to help make our State Weekend a great success.

Next year’s State Weekend at the NFA will be held July 11,12 & 13th (2025).