Braintree Adds 4 Firefighters

Four new additions to the Braintree Fire Department, sworn-in Thursday at Town Hall, bring the force total to 84.

The job starts Monday for the firefighters, who will officially graduate from the Quincy Fire Academy Friday. Their hiring gets Braintree closer to its full complement of 88 firefighters, established by contract years ago. 

Mayor Joseph Sullivan on Thursday said that he will work to grow the ranks further, a promise echoed by Town Council President Tom Bowes, who said he and the mayor will do "everything we can to get as close as we can to 88."

New hires Brendan Byrne, Sean Duffy, Kellan Losi and Thomas J. Whalen celebrated with friends, family and fellow firefighters in the Town Hall auditorium, as Sullivan administered oaths of office and Fire Chief James O'Brien handed out badges.

The four firefighters have a hard journey ahead of them, O'Brien said. On any day, they will face challenges most people never experience. They could help deliver a baby one day, and the next hold someone's hand in the final moments of their life.

"Please consider each of these acts a privilege," O'Brien said.

The recruits were selected from a group of 160 people who took the Braintree firefighter test. Of those, 81 passed, 40 were selected for initial interviews and 12 met with the mayor.

"These four represent a talented fire department and they will add to our complement," Sullivan said.

Byrne and Losi are Army veterans, Duffy was an electrician with the IBEW Local 103 union, and Whalen worked for the town's water and sewer department. His father is Thomas Whalen, director of the Department of Public Works.