City of Champions Fire Tactics and 5K

City of Champions Fire Tactics and 5K

Sun April 12, 2026

Brockton, MA 02302 US

Join us for a 5K run/walk, followed by a must-attend lecture for anyone interested in firefighting tactics. This event integrates two core components of the fire service: fitness and fireground operations. The 5K will start and end at Keating Hall, home of Brockton Firefighters Local 144, beginning at 9am. Following the race, we will host Deputy Chief Nicholas Papa of the New Britain Fire Department as he presents his course titled "Coordinating Ventilation: Supporting Extinguishment & Survivability." The purpose of this course is to provide participants with an operational framework to streamline the decision-making process and enhance their likelihood of success when engaging in ventilation operations.

Registration: 8AM

Race Divisions include: Top 3 Male/Female Firefighter Team Challenge (3 person teams), Brockton Firefighter 1st place award, Top Male/Female in the following Divisions: Under 15, 15-25, 26-40, 41-50, 51-Over.

Participants have the option to partake in the 5K, lecture, or both.

Refreshments will be served inside the union hall at the bar. Pizza will be served for any participant attending the lecture.

First 50 registered entrants receive free Fire Tactics and 5K T-Shirt.

This event is open to both the general public and fire service members.

All proceeds will benefit the LND Foundation in honor of Matthew L. Flaherty.

Lecture Information:

Ventilation can make or break the outcome of a fire. Ensuring its success requires a knowledge of how it works and what precautions must be taken. Coordinating Ventilation: Supporting Extinguishment and Survivability examines ventilation and its relationship to fire behavior to identify how it affects the fire, operations, and—most importantly—victim survivability. Ventilation can be universally applied, from the smallest rural community to the largest metropolitan city.

Nicholas Papa is a second-generation firefighter with over 20 years of experience in the fire service. He is a Deputy Chief with the New Britain (CT) Fire Department, where he has served for 18 years. He was the co-founder of the department’s fire academy, and the lead instructor for the inaugural recruit class. Nick entered the fire service in 2003, volunteering for the neighboring suburb of Newington until his appointment to the NBFD. He is a contributor to Fire Engineering and the author of the best-selling book, Coordinating Ventilation: Supporting Extinguishment & Survivability. Nick is a FDIC International advisory board member and has been a classroom instructor since 2017. He also served as a technical panelist for the FSRI research project, “The Study on Coordinated Fire Attack in Acquired Structures.” Nick is also the founder Fireside Training, LLC.