MEXICO — Students at Vocational Region 9 may have a chance next year to learn the skills needed to become firefighters.

The school’s director, Brenda Gammon, said a group of fire chiefs and others from many area towns presented a proposal at a recent board meeting that outlined the advantages of offering such a program. In addition to the chiefs who attended the meeting, nearly every other Fire Department in the Region 9 area provided letters of support for such a program.

Volunteerism in many small towns has fallen, with some fire departments having an insufficient number of firefighters to meet the needs of their towns.

Gammon said not only would a vocational program offering both firefighting I and firefighting II courses help prepare young people to become volunteer or call firefighters, but it would also provide another career path for those who wish to continue firefighting training at Central Maine Community College.

She said if a Region 9 student successfully completed both courses, they would earn six credits at the community college that could be used toward furthering firefighting education or as electives.

Fire chiefs showed support for establishing the new vocational program by offering necessary equipment, such as turnout gear, ladders, engines and other items for temporary use in the classroom.

Gammon said if the program is approved by the board, an instructor would be hired who would also coordinate necessary learning equipment from area departments.

She said neighboring Foster Technical School in Farmington already offers the course.

The fire chief’s proposal came at a good time in the school year, she said. The board begins its work on the school budget in December.

“It would not be intended to replace any current vocational program,” she said.

The board is expected to take up the matter at its Nov. 10 meeting.

In other matters:

* An eight-member team from the Department of Education will make a certification visit in early November. The vocational school must undergo a review every five years.

* Action was delayed on a request to relax the school’s dress code to allow wearing caps during school hours. Meanwhile, the Policy Committee would review the policy to determine if caps could be allowed under certain circumstances.

* The annual open house for parents, students and community members to tour the school and visit vocational programs was set for 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 3.

* Eric Horn of Peru was hired as a part-time English teacher. He had served as an English teacher in the adult education program.

[email protected]