CAMDEN – It was a chilly afternoon, Saturday, April 8, but that didn't deter firefighters from training at Camden Rockport Middle School. The class was part of the Firefighters 1 and 2 classes for the Knox County Firefighters Training School.

Participants were from Camden, Rockport, Rockland, Waldoboro, Cushing, Hope, Friendship and St. George.

Charlie Jordan, former Rockland Fire Chief and now serving in Freeport, taught the class.

Jordan said he had been asked to conduct the class by Andrew Lowe and was honored to be able to do it. The class is called the ladders module.

"Today we are working with ground ladders and if we get a chance we may work with the aerial," he said. "We're going to be doing some work here on carrying ladders and raising ladders. A bit later we'll go to a private residence we have been allowed to use and we'll do a little bit of work on the roof there."

"They can provide access to upper floors and basements if stairs are burned away," he said. "And basically they are used for rescue and portions of a building you can't get to through normal means."

Once the ladder is up it's secured with a line. 

"The halyard is being tied and the halyard is what is used to raise the ladder," he said. "It's being tied to keep it put of the way of the climber and to provide an additional safety measure. When the ladder is extended the dogs of the ladder lock in place and this just adds one more level of security."

There were 12 people in the class and Jordan said that is an average size for training.

"I will say this group is extremely well behaved, extremely well disciplined, in shape and ready to go," he said. "The Knox County group tries to do this particular class once a year. This is a class that takes a lot of time and commitment."

The firefighters have been going to class on Wednesday nights and Saturdays. The class started in January and is finished in June. All of the trainees are active firefighters with their respective departments.

"For a half a year they are going to class twice a week and that takes a lot of commitment," said Jordan.

The Knox County Fire Training Academy outlines requirements for its courses to become a firefighter. A certificate is awarded upon completion. And sorry, but no beards allowed.