Donations help to protect Raymond’s Emergency Medical Services

Carol Dennison, Paramedic/Firefighter and 

Connor Glavin, EMT/Firefighter wear the face shields 

made and donated by Scott Trebilock and 

the fabric mask donated by Fred and Susan Miller, 

all three of Raymond.

By Briana Bizier

Emergency services in Raymond can breathe a little easier now thanks to two generous donations of protective face shields and fabric “over masks.” The face shields were created by South Portland High School teacher Scott Trebilcock using the school’s 3D printer, and Raymond residents Fred and Susan Miller donated the “over masks,” which can be used to cover the department’s N95 respirators.

These shields and masks will help to protect Raymond’s first responders against the coronavirus.

“We have dealt with several confirmed cases,” said Bruce Tupper, the chief of Raymond’s Fire and Rescue Department. Tupper explains that his department offers full emergency medical services, which includes emergency medical transport to a hospital. “We should be called the EMS department who occasionally deal with a fire,” Tupper joked.

Under current circumstances, personal protective equipment is essential for Fire and Rescue workers responding to a medical emergency that may turn out to be complications arising from a coronavirus infection. The Raymond Fire and Rescue Department uses surgical gowns or Tyvek suits as well as N95 respirators on any call that is ruled “high risk.”

The CDC now recommends using a cleanable face shield over an N95 respirator to help preserve the N95 masks and increase their reusability. Thanks to Raymond residents Fred and Susan Miller, the Raymond Fire and Rescue Department now has an excess of thirty fabric “over masks” to use on top of their N95 respirators. These three-layer masks were hand-sewn by Susan Miller in a variety of different patterns and colors and then donated to the department.

“It really does help to protect us,” Tupper explained. The cloth face masks extend the life of the department’s N95 respirators while the face shields help to protect the eyes and face from any air-born virus-harboring droplets without obscuring vision. “We have been amazed at the number of people going above and beyond in support of emergency services,” Tupper continued. “It is deeply appreciated.”

Raymond resident Scott Trebilcock, a Technology teacher at South Portland High School, created the
donated face shields using two of the school’s 3D printers. 3D printing, which is the process of creating a three-dimensional model using computer aided design, might sound like something from the science fiction television show Star Trek, but this futuristic technology is proving its practical applications in the fight against the coronavirus. In addition to the face shields Trebilcock donated to Raymond’s Fire and Rescue Department, he is also making extenders to keep face masks secure without the annoying elastic straps that go behind your ears and almost invariably cause skin irritation.

The coronavirus pandemic has made personal protective gear for emergency medical personnel, like face shields, harder and harder to find. In an email exchange, Deputy Chief Cathy Gosselin said Raymond Fire and Rescue had been unable to find any additional protective face shields to replenish their supply before Trebilcock’s donation. “There’s a shortage of supplies,” explained Don Willard, Raymond’s Town Manager. “You can’t even buy some of these things. That’s just one reason why we’re incredibly appreciative for these donations.”

In the face of these shortages and complications, Raymond residents have pulled together to protect their town’s emergency medical personnel. “At a difficult time like this,” Willard continued, “it’s really gratifying to live in a small town where people step up and help one another.”

Teacher works to ensure Windham Middle School students stay ahead of the technology curve

WMS STEM Teacher Jason Lanoie, next to
the FlashForge 3D Printer

By Craig Bailey

Windham Middle School’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher, Jason Lanoie, has an objective: to ensure students are fully engaged in the learning process. Lanoie emphasized, “We want our program to change with technology and where things are going.”

To support this, Lanoie is seeking funding for a GlowForge 3D Laser Printer, which he hopes to have in place by the beginning of the upcoming school year. To-date, he has received half of the needed $4,000 from The Perloff Family Foundation.

“This equipment will broaden the scope of experience that the students have with our hands-on program at the middle school level,” Lanoie stated.

Lanoie is not new to the process of obtaining funding to supply his students with leading edge technology. Since joining Windham Middle School, he has written grants for the school’s two existing 3D printers.

A 3D printer is a machine allowing the creation of a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many thin layers of a material in succession.

“I began working with the Perloff’s, who hadn’t yet had experience with the technology,” Lanoie shared. “I wanted to make sure we had the best possible technology for schools. The result is that we acquired our first 3D printer, a MarkerBot Replicator 2, during the beginning of the 2014 school year, for $2,500. More recently we acquired our second, more advanced, 3D printer, a FlashForge, at a cost of $300.”

Lanoie reinforced his objective, “We want to provide new technology for students. If we don’t, students can get bored. For example, everyone has a smartphone. We need to keep up with and stay ahead of the students. Soon, these things [3D Printers] will be in the home, as they are becoming more affordable.”

In contrast to the existing 3D printers at Windham Middle School, which create physical objects, a 3D laser printer uses a beam of light the width of a human hair to cut, engrave, and shape designs from a variety of materials.

A few examples of what the students could create with the 3D laser printer include: a family photo keepsake by importing a digital photo into the machine and burning it onto a piece of wood, glass etching to make a special gift for a loved one, or, designing something that can be used on their Rube Goldberg machine (a contraption that uses a chain reaction to accomplish a very simple task in a very complicated manner).

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When asked, why the GlowForge 3D laser printer, Lanoie responded, “I had been doing research on the technology. Then, I watched an episode of MythBusters, in which Adam Savage did a review on the product and absolutely loved it. When seeing someone like Savage, an expert who supports STEM programs, enthusiastic about the tool, it confirmed where I wanted to go. That sealed the deal.”

Lanoie continued, “This investment will ensure our students remain engaged. You should see the look on their faces when new technology is introduced. It really shows they are interested in learning and using the technology. The result: the students are excited about being in school.”

Further emphasizing the point, Lanoie mentioned, “I love to have the 3D printer going when new students arrive. They are excited about it and ask ‘Can I do this, or that?’ That is entirely on them. They can then try it and figure it out. The technology helps our students learn our engineering design process.”

Lanoie indicated, “The students will be happy to create something with this new technology, for public display, to memorialize all donations received in support of this program.”

To learn more about the GlowForge 3D Laser Printer, visit: www.glowforge.com.

Donations can be sent to the Windham Middle School, in care of the STEM program. Any questions can be directed to Jason Lanoie (jlanoie@rsu14.org) or Principal Drew Patin both of which can be reached at: 207-892-1820.