HOWELL – The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders recently cut the ribbon to open a new Fire Training Facility at the County’s Fire Academy on Route 33 in Freehold.
“Our new 4,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art training facility will serve the needs of thousands of firefighting personnel who participate in hands-on drills at the Academy annually,” said Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley. “The building provides 360 degree access for fire personnel, ladders and fire trucks. I have no doubt that the 10,000 men and women who utilize this facility annually will be able to meet the increasing requirements of firefighter training.”
Located at the rear of the Fire Academy property, the primary structure includes a four-story training tower, a two-story section designed to mimic a retail and residential building layout, and a single-story annex with flat and sloped roof sections to allow for simulation of various fire conditions.
The building’s interior includes burn rooms and props to simulate actual fire situations. The building has several rooms specifically designed for burning materials which will produce smoke for the training exercises. Each burn room is lined with panels specifically designed to withstand high temperatures.
“Movable interior partitions make customized training scenarios possible when combined with forcible entry doors, roof cut-outs, and rappelling anchors,” said Monmouth County Fire Marshal Kevin Stout. “The building also features a standpipe and sprinkler system which can be hooked up to fire trucks or a water supply, enabling the use of fire hoses inside the building.”
The new training facility will also allow the Fire Academy instructors, led by Fire Academy Director Anthony Avillo, the opportunity to offer new and diverse hands on training classes. Additionally, the facility provides the Academy with the option of conducting several outdoor firefighting exercises simultaneously.
The new facility replaces a two-story concrete block building previously used for fire training. The previous structure was placed out of commission after decades of use and frequent exposure to high temperatures.
Members of the Adelphia Fire Company and Ramtown – Howell Fire Company from Howell Township, and Neptune City Fire Company and Unexcelled Fire Company from Neptune Township attended the opening and had fire equipment and apparatus on display.
Monmouth County has more than 4,000 firefighters in 138 companies and departments.
The project was designed by Spiezle Architectural Group Inc. of Trenton, New Jersey. The training facility was constructed by DMD Contracting LLC of Wayne, New Jersey at a total contract cost of $1,773,888.
Cutting the ribbon to open the new Monmouth County Fire Academy Training Center in Howell were Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, Fire Academy Director Anthony Avillo, Fire Marshal Kevin Stout, Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley and Freeholder Serena DiMaso, Esq.
