The Fall River Fire Department held a swearing-in ceremony on March 13, 2025, in the Fall River Room at City Hall, to officially issue badges to seven probationary firefighters. Barck Castro, administrative assistant to the Fall River Fire Department, welcomed attendees, emphasizing the commitment to duty, courage, and service. Father Mike Rine, the fire department chaplain, offered a prayer for the new firefighters, naming Christian, Jose, Cliff, Curtis, Elizabeth, Kyle, and Christopher. Mayor Paul Coogan congratulated the recruits and administered the oath of office, urging them to always help and assist the community. Chief Bacon also addressed the new firefighters, challenging them to "learn, grow, and serve" throughout their careers, and individually presented each with their badges. Christopher Wette was noted to be three weeks away from graduating from the Brockton firefighting academy. The ceremony concluded with a prayer from Father Rob Nich, the Fall River Police Department chaplain, and a moment of silence led by Chief Bacon for firefighter Scott Casey, who passed away unexpectedly three months before his retirement. City Council Andrew Raposa was also acknowledged for his attendance.
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Council
Public Safety
good afternoon good afternoon my name is barck Castro I'm the administrative assistant to the Fall River fire department it is a privilege to welcome you all to this wonderful occasion as we officially issue badges to seven probationary firefighters who are about to embark on one of the most challenging yet rewarding careers in public service today marks the beginning of a lifelong commitment to duty courage
0:28and service the these individuals have demonstrated their dedication necessary to join the proud family of the fire service to our new firefighters the badges that you will receive represent more than Authority they signify trust and responsibility to the family friends and loved ones present thank you for your support again I'd like to welcome you to the Fall River Room at City Hall and
0:58introduce father Mike Rine chaplain of the fire department good afternoon everybody thank you very much it's not about me it's about these new firefighters but thank you very much and you know I just got to say it seems like yesterday I was just in that room over at headquarters meeting with them and wishing them the very best so congratulations on this very beautiful day of yours We Gather today on this
1:26wonderful day for the fire department of for River as our new Pro probationary firefighters are surrounded by their loved ones their instructors our chief our mayor Community leaders and your fellow firefighters your new brothers and sisters we joyfully welcome Christian and Jose and Cliff Curtis Elizabeth Kyle and Christopher as they are pinned with their new badges our loving God has called each
1:57and every one of you to serve your community community in a Brotherhood of firefighters who each and every day put their lives on the line putting their lives to save another human life and to protect the property to the best of their ability remember this that God has called each and every one of you to this very beautiful vocation to Save a Life lives of people that you will know and most likely not know
2:30lives that you will encounter again but each of you as our new firefighters as you begin your work with your very first shifts that you represent what you have been trained to do by the work of your instructors by your brother firefighters and the help of God so we pray loving God this day we ask your blessings upon these new members of our firefighting family guide them in their Wis wisdom
3:00provide them with the very best enable them to build strong teams and encourage them to build a strong work and relationship as they care for the M for the many tasks that lie before them task in firehouses the engine companies that they are assigned to and the many calls that they will respond to each shift we graciously thank those who have prepared our new firefighters and have
3:30shown their dedication in their skills with these with over these last several months continue to bless all of our firefighters our chief the families of these new firefighters today who begin this vocation of service through Christ Our Lord amen please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands one nation
4:07godible with liberty and justice for all at this time I'd like to welcome mayor Coogan to the
4:22podium I just want to say congratulations to all these recruits for completing their training and joining one of the most respected uh firefighting forces in all of Massachusetts uh they got a great group of mentors that's going to take them wherever they have to go and make sure we they keep all of our residents safe themselves safe and the city a better place to live I simply ask that when
4:44you're out representing the city of Fall River and every time you're on a shift and every time you're on a duty think help think assist and help as many people as you can and that's all we want all of our people to do the work for the city so again congratulations guys nothing but respect here and wish you nothing but well in your new Journey thank you Chief bacon like to welcome you to the podium all
5:16right I just want to start off by thanking all of you that are here today and I want our seven recruit firefighters who by the end of this ceremony will become probationary firefighters to look out upon the people that here today these are the people that will support you when you need support and they'll celebrate your Joys with you throughout your career on the fire department your family will be there for
5:43you they know you the best your co-workers will be here for you on every call you're joining a family today the family of the Fall River fire department where the bond is so strong and you will be so impressed by everything that the traditions we have in this department and everything that we can do that you can do together um about a year ago a little over a year ago actually in this
6:10building I was sworn in as the chief of the fire department and in that time I challenged myself and the members of the department to learn grow and serve it was a theme of my my uh my speech after I was sworn in and I'll challenge you today to learn this is an end and a beginning it's an end of your time as recruit firefighters where you went through the academy and learned the
6:35basics of what it takes and what it's going to take for you to have a successful career but you'll always be in a constant state of learning and I challenge you to continue to seek out that new knowledge and new skills and new abilities from the people in this room and from the mass firefighting Academy when you do that you will grow you'll grow as people you'll grow as firefighters and in that growth
7:00it will lead you to serve the community better and being a firefighter you have a unique opportunity to serve the community in a way that most people don't you'll be helping people in their worst hour on their worst day you'll also have the ability to volunteer and to work with Community groups and school children in ways because just because you're a firefighter that will positively affect their
7:26lives so when you leave here today it is the end ending of being recruit firefighters but it's a wonderful beginning of an opportunity to learn and grow and serve the city of Fall River the department and all of its members and I challenge you to continue to strive to do that for the rest of your careers congratulations you've made us all so proud and I can't wait to see
7:51what you do as members of the Fall River Fire Department at this time Chief bacon will issue the firefighters their badges all right I'm gonna have them come forward here um and I'll present them their badges typically we have somebody pin them but those I know how much those shirts cost and I don't want to put a ho in them so um so we'll call them forward but come on up take pictures if you want
8:25to take a group picture at this time too with me and at the batch Ceremony this is your time all right so feel free this space is yours until we call the next recruit up so we'll lead off with Chris uh probationary firefighter Christian
8:49bue uh until people stop taking pictures okay go probationary firefighter Jose Canario
9:07probationary firefighter Cliff neich there we go oh no both guest to stay a longer probationary firefighter Curtis matus we got all right come on up probationary firefighter Christopher wette no good Chris is app ensive about accepting his badge because he got he is in the Brockton firefighting academy uh and they have three more weeks before he graduates but we're we're confident that he's going to do
10:10so don't he's got the badge now so don't let us down probationary fire Elizabeth toas
10:30and last but certainly not least probationary firefighter kyleen big round of applause at this time mayor kougan will swear them in again congratulations everybody raise your right hand please I state your name to solom swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America I support the of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Commonwealth of
11:19Massachusetts that I will obey the laws I the laws and ordinances and ordinances of the city of Fall River of the city of Fall River that I will learn obey and uphold I will learn obey and uphold the rules and regulations the rules and regulations of the Fall River fire department of the Fall River fire department and that I will Faithfully serve the city of Fall River and that I
11:44will Faith serve the city of river in the discharge of my duties as of say what it is in the discharge of my duties as of to the best of my knowledge and ability to the best my knowledge and ability so help me God so help me God
12:15congratulations and to close I'd like to bring up father Rob nich the Fall River Police Department chaplain as well as father to Cliff let us end with a moment in prayer blessed are you God of Mercy who through our Lord has given us the great example and commandment to love others before ourselves first we pause to honor the lives of firefighter Scott Casey and all in our Fall River fire
12:53department who have gone before us giving faithful and dedicated service may they rest in peace Eternal we give you thanks and praise this day for these new firefighters that will serve our community and for the commitment that they have made to serve others before themselves we ask your blessings on these your servants our new firefighters on Chief bacon and all of our firefighters who have graciously decided
13:29to devote and sacrifice themselves for the protection needs and care of others grant them your strength when they are anxious or fearful give them wisdom and fortitude as they battle fires assist at accidents and help those in physical and mental need and work in so many ways to save the lives of others in some most dangerous situations S Grant them your grace and compassion in their service for the good and
14:06protection of all in our city of Fall River or wherever they may be called to help and give assistance when that alarm sounds and they are called to Aid friend and stranger let them Faithfully serve their neighbor with your mercy and Grace May St Florian and St Michael the Archangel Angel watch over and intercede for them in their selfless service amen am so before we leave today there's a
14:41couple items that I missed and I want to thank uh City councel Andrew Raposa for being here today uh he is a staunch supporter of the fire department and we appreciate we appreciate him being here for us um the other thing and I I um feel terribly that I didn't do this first off is 22 two years ago uh I was in the or I started the Academy and one of my classmates Scott Casey uh passed
15:06away uh last week unexpectedly three months from his retirement so I just wish if we can right now just do a brief moment of silence for Scott and his family as they work through this tragic and difficult time
15:30thank you very much I really appreciate everybody being here today it means a lot to me to the firefighters into the recruits to see so many people here to support them on this day um and this is really like a sign of the support that they will be getting throughout their careers so thank you all for being here today stay safe and have a wonderful day