The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders has opened a new fire training facility at the Monmouth County Fire Academy, Route 33, Howell.
“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,” Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley said.
“The building provides 360-degree access for fire personnel, ladders and firetrucks. I have no doubt that the 10,000 men and women who use this facility annually will be able to meet the increasing requirements of firefighter training,” Curley said during the May 30 ribbon cutting ceremony.
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, according to a press release from Monmouth County.
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, according to the press release.
“Movable interior partitions make customized training scenarios possible when combined with forcible entry doors, roof cut-outs and rappelling anchors,” Monmouth County Fire Marshal Kevin Stout said. “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, according to the press release.
Members of the Adelphia Fire Company and the Ramtown-Howell Fire Company, both of Howell, the Neptune City Fire Company, and the Unexcelled Fire Company of Neptune Township attending the opening ceremony and had fire equipment and apparatus on display.
Monmouth County has more than 4,000 firefighters in 138 fire companies and fire departments. The project at the fire academy was designed by Spiezle Architectural Group, Trenton. The training facility was constructed by DMD Contracting, Wayne, at a total contract cost of $1,773,888, according to the press release.
