A quick message from a friend at the Cleveland Fire Department turned into a hands-on welding project at Central Tech when student Tegun Ware suggested the department bring its brush truck and flatbed to the school for installation. 

Three welding students, Landon Fisher (Drumright High School), Ben Whitsett (Yale High School), and Ware (Cleveland High School), spent the week fabricating brackets, prepping the frame, and solving fit issues to complete the job. The project gave the students real-world experience while saving the fire department several hundred dollars in materials and labor. Central Tech provided all the materials needed to install the flatbed on the truck. 

Fisher said the team quickly realized the truck didn’t fit the bed as expected, but they used their welding training to adapt and find a solution. “You have to really think about what kind of brackets you want to build,” he said. “It takes a lot of knowledge, a lot of thinking, and a lot of math to get that correct.” 

Whitsett said he enjoyed contributing to a community partner. “I was glad to help out a fire department,” he said. 

Fisher added that seeing the finished work was the best part. “I like seeing our work pay off, and I like seeing it go down the road looking good.” 

The flatbed is now in service as Cleveland Fire’s Brush 2 truck and includes a 200-gallon water tank. The upgraded truck gives the department the ability to get water into hard-to-reach areas when responding to grass fires. 

Central Tech students regularly complete hands-on projects that build technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and confidence, helping prepare them for high-demand industry jobs. Each project is carefully reviewed by the program instructor to ensure it aligns with the curriculum and the current skill level of the class.