FARMINGTON – Climbing up on to the two-story roof to chop a hole to vent smoke, students from the fire fighting program at Foster Regional Applied Technology School trained on their techniques Tuesday at the site of the former Twin Pond motel/campground on Wilton Road next to Pizza Hut.

The building, on property owned by Randy Cousineau, has been the site of training for several local fire departments and the Foster students since last spring.

The Foster class of 13 students, two volunteers and three from the Farmington Fire Department used theatrical smoke to fill the lower rooms of the building and a small cabin located behind the building for their training. Some students were breaking holes in the roof for vertical ventilation while others prepared to enter the lower rooms with exhaust fans.

Tiffany Pinkham, a second year student, instructed Justin Shink and Casey Clark on how to enter the simulated smoky room as they crawled forward with their gear.

Pinkham, who said she loved firefighting, along with Shink and Clark agreed that they would probably continue on at least as a volunteer firefighters if not more.

All students who take the course are retained as volunteers on their town’s fire departments or go on to programs at the community college for firefighting and emergency medical technician courses, teacher John Churchill said.

The firefighting class, a full year program, is being held this year at the Farmington Fire Station, said fire Chief Terry Bell, who added that some students from the class have become part of his crew.

Hands-on activities such as Tuesday’s training are usually done in the fall, ending with a controlled burn, Churchill said. The students also study search and rescue techniques, safety, tool carrying, the burn and spread of fires.

The students, including two girls, one from Phillips and one from Livermore Falls, will return to their respective schools for another class today and participate in the fire fighting program every other day.