WASHOUGAL — Career and Technical Education Construction Technology students at Washougal High School applied their construction skills to build two prop rooms for a fire safety demonstration by the Camas-Washougal Fire Department. On Sept. 23, the fire department set both prop rooms ablaze to demonstrate the effectiveness of residential sprinklers at the Health and Safety Fair Open House. More than 2,500 attended the open house.
“The students came with all levels of experience and gained skills working as a team on a real construction project,” said Fire Marshal Ron Schumacher. “They’re practicing installing drywall and using construction tools in high school.”
Juniors Gage Leavitt, Gavan McCallister and Noah Wheeler constructed the two prop rooms after school on Sept. 20. “Our aim is to create opportunities for student leadership. This team of students had to overcome some challenges in order to finish these projects,” said their teacher, Brent Mansell.
The Camas-Washougal Fire Department equipped one prop room with a residential sprinkler. During the demonstration, that prop room sustained much less fire damage than the room without a sprinkler.
The Camas-Washougal Fire Department began hosting the annual Health and Safety Fair Open House in 2001. This is the first year that Washougal High School students were involved in constructing the prop rooms. “We hope to do this again next year,” said Mansell.
