The possibility of a fire training tower for the Plymouth Fire Department is one step closer to a reality.
Monday morning Plymouth Fire Chief Rod Miller presented a site proposal to the Marshall County Commissioners to locate the training facility on the jail property. The site selected sits directly east of the employee parking lot and measures about 100 by 400 feet.
Chief Miller said the Jail Holding Corporation gave a favorable nod to the project as long as it is a temporary structure and not permanent and that all liability to be the responsibility of the city.
The site may require some fill but until the grading is complete he’s unsure what is necessary.
The Chief said he’s had some questions on the appearance of the structure, which are basically rail shipping containers that are strategically placed to create the multi level facility.
The company, American Fire Training Systems has made some changes to the paint to help alleviate some on the rusting issues and using some exterior shielding to it’s not visible.
The smoke used in the facility and the effect on the jail’s HVAC roof-top system is also a concern. Commissioner Deb Griewank asked about the amount and type of smoke the structure generates.
Chief Miller said they typically use straw or a couple of pallets to simulate the heat and smoke of a real fire situation. He said that if the winds are blowing toward the jail they would not burn in the training tower at that time.
Cost for the training facility will be the responsibility of the fire department. Fire Chief Rod Miller estimated cost to be $180,000 to $200,000. Fire Chief Rod Miller said the largest portion of funds have come from Center and West Township. Additional funding is being provided by the volunteer firefighters who have also been fundraising for the project for several years. Miller also noted a generous private donation for the project.
The training tower can be used by fire, EMS and police and Miller said all departments in the county will have free use of the facility.
It was noted that currently there is a training structure in Warsaw but for a smaller department to take a team to Warsaw and train can leave them shorthanded in case of an emergency situation. Having a training facility in Marshall County, much closer to home will allow all the departments a chance to train have the training they need.
The Commissioners gave conditional approval for the fire training tower and asked Chief Miller to meet with County Surveyor Larry Fisher to have him shoot grade and determine an exact location for the structure.
