Photo: Mark Thompson (right) pinning his son Alex’s firefighter’s badge during a Town Hall ceremony Aug. 15

With fellow firefighters, family and friends and town officials in attendance, Alex Thompson joined the Belmont Fire Department at the Select Board’s meeting on Monday, Aug. 15 at Town Hall.

A former Marine who completed his certificate at the Massachusetts Firefighters Academy, Thompson recently completed several weeks of evaluation, orientation, and training in Belmont and was recently added to the operation division and was assigned to Unit 2.

Fire Chief David DeStefano presented Thompson with his probationary helmet shield which will donate him as a probationary firefighter – or ”probie” – for the next 12 months and his father, Mark, affixed his badge on his son.

“As I’ve said before, a firefighter’s badge should be earned and pinned by a person is important to that firefighter’s life,” said DeStefano.