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For seven Minuteman alumni from Belmont, it seemed unlikely they would ever have more in common than their hometown and alma mater. They graduated in five different years between 1978 and 1990, and most of them didn’t know each other. They pursued five different career majors, and even the three Carpentry students graduated more than four years apart, never overlapping years at school.
Today, however, these seven graduates are all members of the Belmont Fire Department, sharing an enthusiasm for their work and an appreciation of their education at Minuteman. They include Dave Frizzell, assistant chief; John Mooney, captain; Maria Demilia, administrative assistant; and Dave Toomey, Andrew Goneau, Stephen Wilcinski and Joe Baptista, firefighters. An eighth alumnus, Dana Harrington, served the department for ten years and recently moved on to another job.
Dave Frizzell, Class of 1982, majored in HVAC at Minuteman. He chose Minuteman because “I was looking to learn more than the three R’s,” he recalls. Dave played football for the Mustangs and became an active member of what is now SkillsUSA-VICA, winning a gold medal in HVAC at the state competition, and placing in the top ten at the national contest.
Firefighting, however, was always an interest for Dave, whose father was a member of the Belmont department, retiring 12 years ago. Dave took a circuitous route to his present occupation, earning an associate’s degree in liberal arts and working in safety and security for McLean Hospital before taking the firefighting exam. Today he also continues to work in the HVAC field, noting that “most fire-fighters have a second career.”
For John Mooney, Class of 1981, that second career is in electrical wiring. John came to the Belmont Fire Department right out of high school, spending his time after hours earning his electrician’s license.
“Having the background in electrical helps,” John attests. “For just about every fire, wiring is a direct cause or is involved in some way. An electrician can more easily identify hazards and violations, too.” John believes his Minuteman education has continuing value, and notes that as fewer people are choosing to enter the traditional trades, skilled and experienced tradesman can demand higher pay.
Dave Toomey has put his carpentry skills to work, not only by being able to see the “route of travel” in a fire through his training at Minuteman, but also in renovating his own home and other houses. This Class of 1985 graduate is the son of a firefighter and has been with the Belmont Fire Department for seven years. At Minuteman, Toomey played hockey and football.
Mooney and Toomey say that they barter services with one another and other Minuteman alumni. Dave says if a Minuteman grad is doing it, “you know the job will be done right.”
Maria Demilia, Class of 1978, recalls being a member of the first graduating class at Minuteman, coming in as a ninth grade student the first January the school was open. She enjoyed that “everything was new,” and chose the Culinary career path. Following graduation, she worked in the field for awhile, but had the opportunity to get a job with the town’s light department in 1982. She came to the fire department fourteen years ago.
Andrew Goneau also began his route to the Fire Department through another town office, the water department. He worked in his chosen field, carpentry and related jobs since graduation in 1990. In the back of his mind, however, was the desire to become a firefighter, but he thought there was a height restriction and he might not qualify. One day a firefighter came to the water department to check a hydrant, started chatting with Andy and encouraged him to apply. He took the exam and joined the department four years ago.
As a Minuteman student, Andrew played hockey and participated in the Cooperative Education Program as a senior. Although his parents made the decision for him to attend Minuteman, within a month of entering the school he knew it was the right choice for him. He first followed in the footsteps of two uncles and his grandfather, all carpenters. Then he added firefighting. “I love it—it’s the best,” he says of the combination of careers.
“A lot of my Minuteman education has come into use in the department,” Dave Frizzell notes. “As we went through Exploratory, we learned something about several different areas that could have a connection (to firefighting),” he says. His advice to students and potential students is to realize the value of their education. “Whether or not you follow the career path you started at Minuteman, the work ethic that you gain is something you won’t get at another school.”
Frizzell says the Belmont Fire Department gets about 3000 calls a year and responds to approximately 100 fires. Around 50% of calls are medical and the remainder are fire-related, including fire alarms, odors, gas leaks and smoke. All the firefighters are EMTs in addition to their specific training, which includes an 11-week course at the Massachusetts Fire-fighting Academy in Stow. All of these alumni agree that Minuteman Regional High School created the foundation for a rewarding career while instilling in them a solid work ethic and sense of community service.
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