JVS students weld lockers for Amherst Fire Department

Lorain County JVS Welding and Fabrication students accepted the challenge to make specialized storage lockers for the Amherst Fire Department.

“The Amherst Fire Department is in the process of switching from a basic life support provider to an advanced life support provider,” said Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Dimacchia. “One part of the process of becoming an ALS provider is being able to carry life-support drugs, which are also narcotics, and these must be locked by state standards. Lockers like these are used in ambulances and some fire trucks.”

Welding and Fabrication senior Max Kennedy from Firelands explained the process of getting the lockers built.

“It was a little bit more difficult than I thought it would be because it looks just like a rectangle with a door, but when you get into the project you have to make sure that the hole for the keypad is cut out right, and when you’re making two, you have to make sure they look the same,” he said.

Dimacchia said the lockers are exactly what they were looking for.

“We needed something with a code and latch, it needed to be solid, and can’t be broken into. These look great,” he said.

According to Tony Tyree, Lorain County JVS Welding and Fabrication instructor, the students learned more about fasteners beyond just nuts and bolts.

“They used aluminum rivets and worked with stainless steel hinges too. The students also worked with the LCJVS Collision Repair program in their powder-coating spray booths to get the lockers painted machine gray,” he said.

The Amherst Fire Department has been a longtime supporter and partner of Lorain County JVS.

“We knew we could reach out to the school when this need arose and we are always happy to keep work like this within in the county,” said Jim Wilhelm, Amherst Fire Department chief.

Making something that will be used in the community made Kennedy feel good about his work.

“We build a lot of things in our lab, but it is stuff for here, so to have something we’ve made be used out in the real world is cool,” Kennedy said.

SUBMITTED From left, LCJVS Welding and Fabrication instructor Tony Tyree; senior students in the LCJVS Welding and Fabrication program, Amherst Assistant Fire Chief, Brandon Dimacchia and Amherst Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm stand by the storage lockers.