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December 23, 2009 A recent collaboration between programs at the Mid-coast School of Technology has resulted in the construction of a building built by students to be used by students. MCST started the 2009-10 school year with a brand new program. The Fire Fighting Program is well on its way of being a very successful and popular program. With the help of the Residential Construction students they now have a new training facility.
The proposed building needed several features required in the fire fighting trade. The skills included breaking in and entering a window, breaking in a door entry, climbing a ladder on a two story building, erecting a ladder on a roof using a ladder hook, and cutting a hole through the roof to gain access to the inside of the building. All of this information was provided to the students in the Residential Construction and they designed a structure with a 12’ x 16’ footprint, a fourteen foot wall on the front of the building, a roof on the back of the building that was at least twelve feet in length with at least an eight inch rise, a loft on the inside, two windows and a steel entry door. Construction began in mid-September. Both the morning and afternoon Residential Construction students worked on the project. The building was detailed enough so that all students were able to do some framing, scaffold installation, roofing and siding, skills important to the building trade. They also learned what it’s like to work in the elements putting time in on windy days with temperatures in the twenty’s. The building is located behind the main school building so the wind off the ocean made for typical midcoast conditions. They also learned the value of teamwork, working together on a common goal. The Residential Construction class was able to finish up the building before the first snowstorm and the keys were handed over to the Fire Fighting program at the end of November.
When asked how the structure will serve the students, Mike Drinkwater Firefighting Instructor, explained, “It will allow the students to perform many hands-on skills that are vital in the fire service. These skills will include, but are not limited to, ladder practices, rescue techniques, hose advances, ventilation and forcible entry procedures. Having this building on campus will allow the students to train on site versus having to be transported to an off site location.” There is a great deal of satisfaction and pride from Residential Construction instructor Dan Dishner and all the students involved in the construction. They know that the structure will serve the new program well and benefit the surrounding communities for years to come with future fire fighters being properly trained in the skills of fire fighting.  
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