THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, March 22, 2019 Page 13 Northeast Metro Tech metal fabrication students build gear rack for Reading Fire Department Front row, left to right: Metal Fabrication/Robotics & Automation Department Head Bill Williams, students Aris Monroy, Jason Paradis, Brandon Suc Bautista, Christopher Kneeland, Joshua Tine and Ryan Burke, Reading School Committee Member Robert McCarthy and Reading Fire Captain Rick Nelson. Back row, left to right: Northeast Metro Tech Superintendent David DiBarri, students Connor Sinclair, Andrew Troisi, Matthew Ceurvels and Luis Erazo. Kneeland and Burke are from Saugus. (Courtesy Photo: Northeast Metro Tech) (Editor’s Note: The following story is based on a press release issued this week by the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical High School.) S tudents from the metal fabrication class at Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical High School partnered with the Reading Fire Department this winter to create a custom gear rack for firefighters. In January, Fire Captain Rick Nelson reached out to Metal Fabrication/Robotics & Automation Department Head Bill Williams to see if students could construct a 9-by-2-by-5-foot gear rack, as the Fire Department recently added four new members and needed additional storage. On March 15, after weeks of students putting the project together, Capt. Nelson visited Northeast to thank them for their work and pick up the rack, which will be used for storing jackets and equipment. Northeast Metro Tech Superintendent David DiBarri and Reading School Committee Member Robert McCarthy also headed to the shop to praise the students’ efforts. “Community partnerships like this with the Reading Fire Department are part of the foundation of Northeast,” DiBarri said. “We always like to seize opportunities that not only benefit a community group, but give students the Everett Aluminum 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 Owned & operated by the Conti family since 1958 • 57 Years! “Same name, phone number & address for family since 1958 • 61 over half a century. We must be doing something right!” •Vinyl Siding •Free Estimates •Carpentry Work •Fully Licensed •Decks •Roof • Fully Insured • Replacement Windows www.everettaluminum.com •Roo ng Now’s the time to schedule those home improvement projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter! opportunity to showcase everything they’re learning in shop.” Northeast has a long history working with community departments and organizations, including the Reading Fire Department. About 20 years ago, Northeast created several other similar gear racks for firefighters. Over the last two months, metal fabrication students worked on building the rack from the ground up. They drafted a layout of the structure, mapped out supplies and then began measuring, cutting and welding pieces together. They also used a Hossfeld bender to make steel hangers that will hold firefighters’ jackets. “I really liked how the project incorporated everything we’ve been doing over the last couple years here,” said Ryan Burke, a senior who lives in Saugus. “We started from scratch and went all the way to having a finished product. During the process I got to learn more about square tubing, which isn’t a material we normally use in shop.” Burke was one of two students from Saugus who worked on the project. Christopher Kneeland, another senior, also helped build the gear rack. For the final touches, students added on eight wheels so that the rack can easily be maneuvered. Once completely built, students from the auto body shop powder-coated the rack red and the hangers black. “Everyone at Northeast has always been tremendous to work with, and now that we’ve outgrown the current gear racks we have, Northeast was our first choice for having another one made,” Capt. Nelson said. “Thank you to all the students who dedicated time to this project, Bill Williams and Superintendent DiBarri.” “I want to commend students on a job well done,” McCarthy said. “This was a great budgetfriendly project for the Reading Fire Department that really allowed students to shine. As a member of the School Committee, I’m always happy to see these community relations continue to flourish.” Spring!
14 Publizr Home