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The Greenwich Fire Department has something new to help fire fighters do their
jobs the best they can. The fire training center is just under a year old and
is used by both career and volunteer staff.
“The more we train, the better we get. The better we get, the more we train,” said
Deputy Chief Larry Roberts.
The new training facility replaces a 25 year old structure that was condemned 7
years ago.
“The other facility didn’t do what this one can,” said Roberts.
Like allow fire staff to perform elevator and roof rescues, and even put out live
building and car fires.
“We push a button, the fire starts. They go in and extinguish the fire. When it goes
out, they back up and we much the button again and the fore starts right back up,”
said Roberts.
Fire fighters can also fill the whole facility with mineral smoke and practice using
dry hydrants. Officials say this is very important because that is the only water
source north of the Merrit Parkway.
“It’s a fire hydrant normally connected to a pond or pool. We can practice drawing
water from those facilities,” said Roberts.
On Sunday, 16 volunteers will try to pass the fire fighter 1 class after 140 training
hours at the facility. This is the largest class of volunteers fire fighters the
department has seen in the past 8 years according to deputy chief Larry Roberts.
