The Parsonage, a 19th-century extended cottage on Proctor Academy’s campus on North Street, was used until recently as a faculty residence but has since been gutted in preparation for demolition and the construction of a new dormitory. The school made the facility available to the safety services teams from Andover, Franklin, Salisbury, and Wilmot for training exercises on April 7.
According to Andover Fire Chief Rene Lefebvre, “We trained on the house using a smoke-generating machine. We could not light a fire due to the close proximity to the next building. We practiced search and rescue using practice dummies, as well as roof safety and ladder techniques; and venting roofs using axes and power tools.
“We watched the Franklin ladder truck team demonstrate roof venting — they are good … very good! Our team practiced self-extrication from a second story using ropes — it’s great to be young!
“The building gave us a great opportunity to train under controlled, safe conditions. We gained experience, confidence, and a team spirit. It was a super day.
“We are grateful to Proctor Academy for giving us this opportunity.”