Fire District No. 3 firefighters converged on the Gidley School as “smoke” filled the former school on October 19. There was no real fire, but smoke and other elements created a very real scenario for more than 20 firefighters to conduct a training exercise at the shuttered elementary school.

Firefighters practiced skills they had learned in the classroom, as smoke machines filled dark hallways with non-toxic smoke. The exercise helps keep firefighters ready to battle a real fire, said Deputy Chief Theodore Borges, who was on the scene to oversee the training exercise.

“You can get as close as you can to fighting an actual fire here,” Borges said.

At the Gidley School, firefighters practiced hose advancement –the techniques used to set up and bring hoses into buildings when first approaching a scene. Firefighters also practiced search and rescue, and responding to mayday calls – a situation when a fellow firefighter becomes trapped or in need of immediate assistance.

With Town Meeting members approving the demolition of the Gidley School, Borges said his department plans on using the school as long as possible

“We’re going to use [the Gidley School] until we can’t use it anymore,” Borges said.