Timothy J. Bradshaw, Fire Chief
50 School St.
Taunton, MA 02780
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net
Taunton Fire Department Swears In Five New Firefighters
TAUNTON — Chief Timothy Bradshaw is pleased to announce that five new Taunton firefighters were sworn in during a ceremony at City Hall last night.
Firefighters David Costa, Marc Leandro, Matthew Pierce, Michael Holmes and Steven Gomes, all of Taunton, were sworn in by Assistant City Clerk Jennifer Ledger.
“These new hires now bring the Taunton Fire Department up to 127 members, which is the staffing level agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement between the firefighter’s union and the city,” Chief Bradshaw said. “I look forward to our newest members beginning their careers here and I wish them all the best.”
The new members of the department were hired to replace firefighters who had retired earlier this year.
The hires help to maintain compliance with a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant the city received last year that awarded Taunton $1.35 million in funding for salaries and benefits for firefighters.
Firefighter Costa, age 34, is a former Marine Corps sergeant who has an associate’s degree in fire science from Bristol Community College.
Firefighter Pierce, age 25, has been a call firefighter in the town of Berkley since 2013. He is Firefighter I/II certified by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services and is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
Firefighter Holmes, age 35, has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology. He been employed by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections since 2005. He also has a brother who is currently a patrolman for the Taunton Police Department.
Firefighter Gomes, age 32, is a graduate of Taunton High School and formerly worked as a security guard at the school.
Firefighter Leandro, age 29, is a lifelong Taunton resident, who was a former captain of the Taunton High School baseball team.
The firefighters will be attending the Massachusetts Fire Academy in the coming months.
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