From the classroom to the road, Clarkston High School students Antonio Lemus and Mat Smokoska are spending their early summer days helping Independence Fire Department Step into the 21 century.
They are using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) to identify and record satellite locations of all the fire hydrants in the township.
‘What we had originally was a map that I had started about six years ago,? said Mark Brown, an engineer/paramedic with the fire department. ‘It had most of the hydrants on it, but there were a few that were missing and some were actually mapped at the wrong location.?
Lemus said on average they find three or four hydrants that are not on the map.
‘Some of the mistakes they had was they said a hydrant was on the left hand side of the road, but it actually on the right,? he said.
The Trimble GPS unit Lemus and Smokoska are using not only records the location of the hydrant, but also what type of hydrant it is, whether or not the hydrant has an extension, a flag on it, or a gate valve and where the gate valve is located.
‘The hope is once we get all the hydrant locations we can give that information to the Department of Public Works and they can add to it, possibly getting (water) flow rates and things like that,? said Brown. ‘Eventually we are going to get the entire water system into our GIS.?
‘It’s actually accurate in less than one meter. The GPS unit there using is a lot more accurate than the GPS units you buy from the sporting good store,? he noted. ‘It specifically designed for mapping.?
Brown said the fire station uses ‘ARC GIS? computer software and a global version of the software is on GIS unit used by Lemus and Smokoska.
‘They’re basically editing that file, than what I do is connect it to our computer than I have a full desktop version of that software, so I can look at that same file they edited and look at all the points they’ve created and all the attributes,? he said.
The boys travel around the township on police bikes, while sporting bright yellow Fire Dept. vests.
‘Antonio carries equipments, I carry a lot of the supplies, and maps,? said Smokoska. ‘We take tons of water bottles and food snacks that we’ll eat along the way instead of stopping somewhere for lunch.?
Last winter the boys took a six week class ‘Introduction to Geospatial Technologies.? For two hours a week under the direction of Marilyn Goby from Oakland Schools, Career Focused Education.
‘I’m so thankful for that fire department for offering them the hands on opportunity to actually put the tool to use, that relationship has been just an awesome relationship. They’ve been very accommodating with the boys,? she said. ‘What a great summer job for these kids to have to be outside and be learning the technology that’s right on the leading edge of 21 century jobs.?
The course was offered to students enrolled in the Biotechnology and Environmental Science program.
‘I was bored with the greenhouse and the teacher kind of nagged me on to do this,? said Lemus. ‘But we get out of class for two hours.?
‘We thought it would be very useful for our interest career wise,? said Smokoska who want to be a biologist and planning on studying at Oakland University, then transferring to Michigan State University.
Lemus said he actually wants to be a GIS/GPS technician. He’s not sure exactly where he wants to go to school, but said Lansing Community College, Mott Community College, and Central Michigan University are the only schools he knows of that offer a degree in the GIS/GPS field.
I’m extremely proud of the boys,? said Goby. ‘They’ve taken initiative; they’re responsible, and I’m sure the fire department’s found them to be reliable, they show up and they do the job.?