Fire Sparks Trouble in JD

By Torey Van Oot '05

At 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 15th, Room 201 in the Johnson Dormitory caught fire. Although the exact origin of the fire remains undetermined, electrical causes have been ruled out. An investigation by a third party has also found that no accelerants were involved.

Physical Plant staff member Lynn Taylor was the first person to notice the fire. Taylor, accompanied by faculty residents, physical plant staff and deans, evacuated the building. Student runners were sent to classrooms to take attendance of Johnson Doubleday residents and make sure every student was accounted for. The response was quick and efficient, "People saw a problem and responded really well," said Secretary of the Academy, Lee Wicks.

The Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department was assisted by the Deerfield Student Firefighters and neighboring towns' fire departments in extinguishing the blaze.

The damage, predominately smoke related, was contained to the area of the building in which the fire started. The walls between the rooms and the ceilings and floors are made of concrete, theoretically preventing the fire from spreading between rooms or through floors. Despite the dorm's fire-proof nature, the flames shattered the window of room 201, climbed the exterior of the building and re-entered the dormitory through the eve of the attic. The temperature in room 201 is thought to have reached 800 to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.

After brief stays in friends' dormitories and faculty houses, the residents of Johnson have returned to their rooms. Scott Bartlett '04 and Paul Baier '04, who lived in room 201, will live in the Robertson-Sheridan home for the remainder of the year.

Student Firefighters: Deerfield's Own Heroes

By JETT FEIN '05

Whether in class or dining at the Greer store, Deerfield's student fire-fighters are always on the move. And it is certainly a good thing, because without their help, the Johnson Dormitory may have been completely devastated.

The Student Firefighting program at Deerfield is alive and well, as most students now know from the spectacular showing of support during the Johnson fire. Students join the firefighting squad for different reasons; some want to help out their community, some want to learn more about firefighting and others just think it's cool. Justin Weiss recounts the initial spark that led him to apply to the fire-fighting program: "I was in chemistry class last year when Dave Dunning's firefighting beeper started pulsing, and he dramatically threw off his sport coat, ran full throttle out of the glass doors, disappearing without any explanation. I wanted to do that too." For students like Justin who are interested in the firefighting program, applications are distributed through Mr. Gendron's office in the late spring term.

After students are accepted to the firefighting program, intensive training and preparation lies ahead before the fire department permits students to go out in the field. The 14 student fire-fighters are fully trained by the Deerfield Fire Department. Mr. Gendron, the head of security at DA, and an ex-chief of police, teaches the CPR course from his office for about an hour, once a week, for roughly six weeks. In addition, student firefighters meet as a group every other Thursday to go over fire scenarios. They also go outside for heavy lifting drills, which last about an hour and a half. Much of the equipment that fire-fighters use is quite heavy, so it is imperative that they work as a team. The Deerfield Fire Department, headed up by Chief Chester Yazwinski, is certainly grateful for the student's hard work and dedication. Whenever a fire breaks out in the surrounding area, a buzzer is sounded off, and the fire-fighting team is assembled and dispatched.

The firefighters garnered their strength on April 15 to put out a home-front blaze in Johnson Dormitory. Deerfield students have been fighting fires in association with the Deerfield Fire Department for many years, yet, there has never been an inferno so close to home. Jess Le Clerc '04, shared, "We provide a service for the community that is not only self-rewarding, but also very important."

The Johnson fire has certainly sparked interest on campus about the firefighting program. But the Johnson fire, contrary to popular belief, is not the only fire to which the students have reported. Several brush fires, car accidents, and a recent campground fire in Charlemont are among the other venues to which firefighters have been sent.

Olchowski reminds that "being a firefighter isn't like any other club; it's like a job and you need to be dedicated and determined to do that." Although you may be wary of sprinting out of your midday physics class, Samson asserts that there are definite benefits of donning fire turnout gear. "It is an awesome program! At times it is scary, physically demanding; a great adrenaline rush every time we are called to the station. And most importantly it is a lot of fun."

As published in the May 13, 2004 issue of the Deerfield Scroll, the monthly newspaper of Deerfield Academy.