McCann Students Complete North Adams Public Safety Projects
 Carpentry students Johnny Leal and Matthew Meranti and North Adams Fire Director Stephen Meranti with the new cabinet the McCann students built for the fire command vehicle. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city's public safety departments were on the receiving end of some McCann Technical School projects this past spring.
Students from carpentry and electrical Shops completed the two projects for the end of the 2012-2013 school year, saving the city several thousands of dollars and enhancing its emergency response capabilities.
The first project was a command cabinet for the rear of the fire director's Car 1. The cabinet was built with compartments for equipment, important documents, maps, tools and radio communications. The cabinet will be used as a mobile platform to assist command staff in immediate response to emergencies.
Director of Fire Services Stephen Meranti said he was extremely proud of the work done by the students, and that the cost of similar units would have been around $3,000. The finished cabinet by the McCann students came in at $500.
"In any kind of emergency, our goal is to be prepared and work efficiently and this mobile command vehicle will allow us to do just that," said Meranti.
The second project completed by the students was to help retrofit a van donated to the Department of Public Safety from the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority. The students built and installed more seating, a long table, light fixtures, and outlets that will be used for computers, printers and radio chargers.
The van will become the city's Public Safety Mobile Command Vehicle when it's completed.
"The Department of Public Safety greatly appreciates all the hard work that the students and faculty provided for these projects," said Michael Cozzaglio, director of police services. "These vehicles both will prove to be a great asset to the city of North Adams and all of the surrounding cities and towns in Berkshire County."
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