BCC to Hold Talk on State Fire Marshall History

11:32AM / Monday, May 05, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC)'s Fire Science Program welcomes guest speaker Joshua Stanley to present "The History of the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal's Office: Transforming Tragedy into Progress" on Tuesday, May 6 at 6 p.m.

Local firefighters, BCC students and the public are invited to attend.

The free talk will be held in Melville Hall, Room 317, located on BCC's main campus at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. It will also be available online. To register for the Zoom session, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/fire-history.

Shanley's presentation demonstrates how historic fires, explosions and building collapses in Massachusetts shaped the creation and evolution of the State Fire Marshal's Office. Case studies and lessons learned show how tragedy led to changes in fire prevention, investigation and public safety across the Commonwealth.

"The history of firefighting in Massachusetts is a colorful one. So much progress has been made, especially in the areas of firefighting technology and training. Josh Shanley shines a light on this fascinating topic, and we are so pleased to be able to host this talk," said Daniel Garner, BCC Adjunct Faculty – Fire Science.

Shanley is a media specialist with the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, Department of Fire Services. He is an experienced emergency management professional, author and educator with over 30 years of experience in public safety, including roles as a firefighter-paramedic, emergency management director and consultant. He was a firefighter/paramedic in Northampton and Amherst for a combined 25 years, currently serving on the Exercise Support Unit for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

As the author of several historical works, including "Cold War Massachusetts," "Northampton Fires and Firefighting" and "The Connecticut River Valley Flood of 1936," Shanley explores the legacy of civil defense, disaster response and emergency planning. With advanced degrees in emergency management, education and business, Shanley has a unique perspective that blends historical insight with practical experience in modern emergency management and resilience planning.

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Free Vaccinations Available Throughout Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
10:30AM / Saturday, October 10, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fall season is also the flu season, which means vaccine clinics are now available.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative will provide public vaccination clinics in Berkshire communities this fall, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. There are about 49 clinics.

The collaborative began during COVID-19 to help vaccinate people across Berkshire County. Berkshire Health Systems started the Get Vaccinated Berkshires website and still manages it. The group works with the Pittsfield Public Health Department, Community Health Programs, and the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative.

"The majority of people will always get the flu [vaccine] because, as I said, if you've ever gotten the flu, you will always get a flu vaccine because it's so bad. And just so you know, the flu is already in Berkshire County. It's an early season this year," said Leslie Drager, who is the senior public health nurse at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

Drager said last year they issued 2,705 vaccines, with more than 1,100 of them being for COVID-19 and more than 1,500 being flu. In total, they were able to vaccinate 1,669 people in Central and North County, in addition to Pittsfield.

Drager also said she will be carrying three types of COVID vaccines this year, which is in high demand.

"We have a high demand of COVID vaccine, which is awesome," she said. "So we're doing a lot of COVID vaccines. Also, I provide Pfizer, and this year I have Moderna and the Novavax, which I think is real important to get out there because the Novavax, a lot of people want, people with long COVID. So I'm carrying all three vaccines this year, which I normally only carry the Pfizer."

Public health departments also can help people access other vaccines such as for measles or meningitis when they cannot get them through a pediatrician, she added.

Using the website, people are able to get vaccines even if they are homebound by filling out a form.

All public Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative clinics are free of charge, but registrants are asked to provide insurance information, when available, in order to defray costs. The clinics are open to anyone 6 months of age or older, the age group recommended to receive an annual flu vaccine and the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

"I always encourage everybody to wear a short sleeve shirt because it makes it a heck of a lot easier to get at," Drager said. "And children, we do carry the nasal flu, the live virus of nasal flu for kids that are afraid to get needles."

Registration is highly recommended for the clinics. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on the number of vaccine doses available at each clinic, with preference given to those who are registered.

"It's really important. I'm really encouraging vaccinations for the schools, because not only you know if the kids are vaccinated and the teachers are vaccinated, the schools won't have the flu go wild right through it," Drager said. "And of course, the best way to prevent infections: washing your hands. So don't touch your face, and wash your hands."

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