Three Newton Fire Department recruits completed the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy's 50-day training program on Friday, Oct. 2, earning certifications that will put them on the front lines of a department stretched by record call volume.

Michael Coscione, Samuel Ledger and Kyle Ledwidge each earned Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials First Responder certifications after hundreds of hours of training, Fig City News reported.

The new graduates join a department that answered a record 12,130 calls in 2025, up from 11,450 the year before. Fire Chief Greg Gentile presented those figures to the City Council's Public Safety and Transportation Committee on May 7 while making the case for additional hires.

The increase was not driven by any single category, Gentile said at the May meeting. Fire alarm activations, accidents and EMS calls were all climbing.

As of May, the department employed 203 full-time employees and was actively hiring five new firefighters. It is unclear whether Coscione, Ledger and Ledwidge are among those five or part of a separate hiring round.

The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, known as the MFA, provides training at no cost to cities and towns at campuses in Stow, Springfield and Bridgewater. The 50-day Career Recruit program covers search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation and fire attack scenarios. Recruits also train in hazardous material response, self-rescue techniques and stress management.

The program prepares graduates to work alongside veteran firefighters in their home departments and in neighboring communities during mutual aid responses.

No swearing-in date or first day of duty for the three graduates has been announced. The Newton Fire Department can be reached at 617-796-2210.