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The Jordan School District's Applied Technology Center (JATC) administration was excited to receive a 1973 Sutphen aerial truck from the Saratoga Springs Fire Department.¬
One of the original trucks donated to the Saratoga Springs Department when the city started serving the community in 2006, the donated truck has since been replaced with a new truck, and the 100-foot yellow ladder truck has been out-of-service for sometime in Saratoga.
JATC was looking for just such a truck.¬ Saratoga firefighters delivered the aerial fire truck on Friday to the school.
"We needed one to complete our fire science program," said Brandon Widdison, JATC instructor. "We got the word it was just sitting in a field and that the Saratoga department was -- for lack of a better word -- trying to get rid of it. We sent a letter explaining our program and that we could use it."
"Since the truck is operational, I believe that its education value is much more than its worth to the city if it were sold," said Chief Tim Hay, Saratoga Springs fire department.
JATC representatives agreed. The Fire Science program at JATC Sandy readies high school juniors and seniors for employment in firefighting. Widdison said they have class instruction, and then take students out and work with the equipment.¬
"It will also really help with our accreditation with [Utah Valley University]." He said currently students have concurrent enrollment with UVU, but receive accreditation from the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy. "That way, students could come right out of school and start working fires."
The JATC program has been operating in Jordan School District for three years. It began as a basic firefighting class suitable for volunteer firemen, and has evolved into a program to certify students for either career firefighting or wildland firefighting. Currently, there are two classes of approximately 20 high school students each. Three instructors are career firefighters who rotate to teach classes on their days off.
"This truck will be a huge asset," said Widdison. "It will totally change the quality of our program. We greatly appreciate it."
Hay said he understood the JATC to also offer diesel mechanic training, so they will have an easy way to maintain the truck.¬
"We had planned on doing something with it, but this way it can continue to help train fire fighters," he said. |
