Annual Egg Drop at Middle School
Student groups posed with Ladder 22 after the challenge (and yes that's Firefighter Vattilana posing).
Student groups posed with Ladder 22 after the challenge (and yes that's Firefighter Vattilana posing).
 
Some eggs did not "survive" the fall.
Some eggs did not "survive" the fall.
 
Yes, the Fluffernutter worked! The egg survived the fall.
Yes, the Fluffernutter worked! The egg survived the fall.
 
Ladder 22 at the Egg Drop.
Ladder 22 at the Egg Drop.
 
Yes mom, I'm gonna put an egg inside a container of Fluffernutter and drop it 75'.
Yes mom, I'm gonna put an egg inside a container of Fluffernutter and drop it 75'.
 
Firefighter Matt Glass at the top of Ladder 22 did the honors from about 75 feet above the parking lot.
Firefighter Matt Glass at the top of Ladder 22 did the honors from about 75 feet above the parking lot.
 
Some egg drop containers used lots of foam cushioning (this egg survived).
Some egg drop containers used lots of foam cushioning (this egg survived).
 
Ladder 22 at the annual Egg Drop at the AG Middle School, as student projects tested how to prevent an egg from breaking after a fall of 75 feet.
Ladder 22 at the annual Egg Drop at the AG Middle School, as student projects tested how to prevent an egg from breaking after a fall of 75 feet.
 
Students compare notes as additional student projects are dropped to the pavement.
Students compare notes as additional student projects are dropped to the pavement.
 
 
By Secretary Bill Wohl
May 22, 2019
 

Each year, students at the Fred S. Engle Middle School team up to try and overcome a classic science challenge -- how to protect an egg from damage from a high fall. The students are given the requirement to fashion a protective covering/container that can hold the egg, and protect it from a fall of about 75 feet to the ground.

Students create their designs in teams of two, and then those designs are first tested at about 6 feet in the classroom. Those that survive move to the next round, where they test from a longer fall in the stairwell of the school.

Those that make it through the first two rounds get dropped from the top of the West Grove Fire Company ladder truck at a height of about 75 feet.

Needless to say, not all eggs survive the fall. Packaging includes the expected rolls of foam and bubble wraps, boxes and cylinders, and fabrics. Some students are creative, packaging in semi-liquids -- this year we saw "fluffernutter" used as cushioning (it worked!).

About 50 projects were dropped from Ladder 22, including a short break when the Ladder and Rescue responded to a reported structure fire in Hockessin, Delaware (and returned 15 minutes later).

A good time was had by all (except for the many eggs that didn't survive the fall).
 
Units: Ladder 22, Rescue 22, WGFC Ambulances 22-1 and -2
 
Mutual Aid: PA State Police Avondale