Springfield Students Build Firefighter Training Gear for Free

When firefighter Brian Mackey crawled through a wooden box filled with hanging wires and loose beams, he was testing equipment built by students who watched nervously nearby. Their custom training props just saved Springfield's fire department thousands of dollars.

Carpentry students from Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy spent months building realistic training equipment for the Springfield Fire Department in Massachusetts. The half-dozen students created an entanglement box to simulate collapsed ceilings, a hose cart that matches real firetruck storage, and a wooden structure mimicking bathroom walls that firefighters must break through during rescues.

Fire Chief Bernard J. Calvi says commercial versions of these props cost thousands of dollars and wouldn't fit the department's specific needs as well. Deputy Chief Robert Duffy sketched basic designs for equipment that could simulate the dangerous situations firefighters face in burning buildings, then asked Putnam teachers if students could help bring his vision to life.

The students completed detailed blueprints and built everything from scratch. Tenth grader Jorniel Moldonado learned to collaborate with the sheet metal shop to create brackets and figured out how to properly attach wheels to the hose cart.

The hose cart lets firefighters practice rapid deployment without moving actual firetrucks or worrying about emergency calls interrupting training. Firefighter Benjamin Franco got an extra dose of pride when his younger brother Benjamin, also a tenth grader, helped build the cart that his sibling now trains with.

The Ripple Effect

This partnership between Putnam and the fire department has been growing for years. Auto mechanic students regularly intern in the department's repair shop, learning to fix fire trucks and equipment while still in high school.

Chief Calvi introduced two young mechanics at the equipment unveiling who were hired straight out of Putnam after graduation. The collaboration gives students hands-on problem-solving experience while strengthening community safety.

Student Daniel Mendez Chaz says he looks forward to carpentry class every day because he loves measuring, building, and helping his community. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno praised Putnam students as among the best in the country, noting they've also enhanced city parks and built bookcases for elementary schools.

Superintendent Sonia Dinnall emphasized how valuable it is when community partners trust students with real projects that matter. Captain Martin Burgos agrees the training boxes perfectly simulate real chaos, from collapsing drop ceilings to plumbing hidden between wall studs.

Springfield firefighters will use these student-built props for years to come, training new recruits and keeping experienced firefighters sharp for the dangerous moments when lives depend on their skills.