Published: May 03, 2009 11:27 pm      

Burn building sparks training for firefighters

SOMERSET — A $100,000 replacement burn building will be available to Somerset County firefighters by August so they can get real-world experience battling blazes.

“We’ve outlived our burn building,’’ said Clair Saylor of Rockwood, secretary of the Somerset County Fireman’s Association. He said changing safety regulations and training modes have made the 1981 building obsolete.

Three gigantic storage trailers – like those used to ship cargo overseas – will be assembled like Legos, two on the bottom and one stacked on top.

The prototype comes with a prebuilt maze for use with breathing apparatus.

“You can get almost anything you want with these modules,’’ Saylor said.

He said firefighters got a super price.

“We’re the first people in the Eastern U.S. to do this,’’ Saylor said. “(It cost) $104,000 to do this, that’s our price because we’re going to use it as a demonstrator for other people.

“We’ve been told by the company we can add on to it.’’

The money for the structure came from selling two tracts totaling 10 acres.

The association needs another $30,000 to $35,000, though, for electricity, a water holding tank and other necessities.

Jim Clark, the president of the Somerset County Fire Chief’s Association, said officials already are trying to raise that cash.

Fundraisers such as dinners and raffles are one option.

“We hope we don’t have to resort to that,” Clark said, noting firefighters are busy answering calls, training and raising money for their own departments.

Perhaps a corporate sponsor may step in.

Clark’s also lobbying lawmakers in both Harrisburg and Washington for assistance.

Most of the labor, Clark said, will be done by the fire departments themselves.

The building will provide “probably about as realistic an atmosphere as you can get,’’ he said.

Saylor agreed, saying although classroom work is valuable, the need remains to get firemen “in smoke and fire.

“This is our main cornerstone. If we don’t have a burn building, there’s no reality to the rest of the fire school.’’

The current training building at the Pleasant Hill site will be demolished.