Area fire fighters have a new building to practice their skills at Emmaus Fire Department’s training facility on Klines Road, thanks to a $470,000 grant from Lehigh County.“This is another example of the county’s dedication to public safety and emergency preparedness,” said Lehigh County Don Cunningham. “This facility will afford Lehigh County firefighters countless training options that simulate real-world situations so they can better protect our residents.”
The building includes a 4-story fire tower attached to a two-story residential structure that is attached to a one-story burn room, where firefighters can battle actual blazes.
The Emmaus training facility has roof and attic simulators, confined space containers and a drafting area where firefighters can practice pumping water.
Lehigh County is home to three fire training facilities, including one in Whitehall Township and one in the city of Allentown. Lehigh County has given more than $1 million to the three facilities over the past three years to improve training.
“Most fire departments don’t have a fire tower or other building in their back-yard so it’s important to provide firefighters opportunities to put out a car fire or a crawl through a confined space” to get to the flames, said Victoria Schadler, an employee of Emmaus Fire Department.
The training facility is also used to conduct tests, certify firefighters to standards established by the state and train new recruits. It takes 200 hours of training to become a volunteer firefighter.
“Having a local training facility eliminates the need for firefighters to travel to other training facilities and improves the expertise of our volunteers,” said Cunningham.
I wonder if any of them put in for overtime.
11 comments:
What will happen to Allentown's Mack Station fire training program? Will that be disbanded?
don cunningham, for only half a million dollars, eliminated the need for firefighters to drive from emmaus to lehigh st. in allentown, saving an unnecessary 1.5 mile trip
michael molovinsky said..."..eliminated the need for firefighters to drive from emmaus to lehigh st. in allentown, saving an unnecessary 1.5 mile trip
ha ha ha - Good one. And soooo true!
Anon 6:40, I will ask Ms. Parrish about the other facility. So far as I know, they remain operational and are funded by the county.
Most of the county's firefighters are volunteers, but need 200 hours of training. If you have just one facility which is already serving Pa.'s third largst city, you put an unnecessary streain on that facility and also delay necessary certifications.
Cunningham'as proposal is not designed for the mere convenience of individual firefighters, but to promote the public safety.
"What will happen to Allentown's Mack Station fire training program? Will that be disbanded?"
Kathleen Parrish, LC's Director of Public Information, tells me that Allentown's mack Station is alive and well. "We've given funds to three facilities, including Allentown's. There's different equipment at each of the three facilities -- Emmaus, Allentown and Whitehall -- so area firefighters can experience different real world scenarios at each."
This is not about firefighter convenience, but public safety. it expands the training opportunities available and the challenges faced.
I, also, question why the firefighters can't drive to Lehigh Street and save a half million dollars. Another campaign gimmick from his honor Cunningham and, I guess, the incompetent commissioners.
Please, Bernie, ask Cunningham why the Emmaus crowd can't use Lehigh Street. I'd call but he won't answer me, as he is, a former PPLer.
Scott Ott where are you on this??
"don cunningham, for only half a million dollars, eliminated the need for firefighters to drive from emmaus to lehigh st. in allentown, saving an unnecessary 1.5 mile trip"
Ha! Brilliant! Don's a real fiscal watchdog. As bad as some of his previous spending boondoggles, this one takes the cake. Is there a calculation of spending per foot?
He spends money like it's not his money - because it's not his money. The county budget is his personal re-election campaign account.
Was there a big cardboard check involved? Did anybody get photos of him smiling like a confident con artist who just pulled another one over on voters?
If this is good government, I'm really afraid of bad government.
While many departments require training for volunteer firefighters there is no state or county requirement for any minimum amount of training hours.
Anon 1:54pm
Sad but true. I'm a Certified FF in NJ and IFSTA/ProBoard. I want to change this. However, without money, I fall on deaf ears.
NorCo facilities need help, and I'm feeling slighted that I received word that NorCo pays Lehigh to be our hazmat response service. We outsource our money to Lehigh for them to spend on their training and resources.
Not happy.
$63.13 per foot. About 180 bucks per step. Couldn't somebody carpool? This is ridiculous.
Don't attack Don or you will be treated harshly!
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