Chief Rick Malasky hasn't worked out all the details yet, but he said the second floor of the new fire station could be renovated to accommodate up to eight men and four women who would be responsible for a certain number of on-call hours each week, particularly during weekdays when the personnel shortage is at its worst.

Town councilors like the idea, especially since it would cost about $1 million less over five years than hiring four full-time firefighters.

Malasky said the students would not be paid and would need to be certified firefighters or emergency medical technicians to qualify. He would like to model the program on the Scarborough, Maine, Fire Department's student live-in program, which draws from nearby Southern Maine Technical College and requires students to keep the station clean and maintain a C average in school.