Since 2018 the fire department in Decherd, Tennessee has been on the go. Literally. They’ve incorporated their “Ready-Set-Go” fire training unit into the ongoing training for all personnel from Decherd Fire & Rescue.
Financed with a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), the two-story structure (with three working deck levels) helps first responders in the Decherd area train for emergency situations.
“The Ready-Set-Go ended up being the most ‘bang for our buck’ to achieve our training goals,” says Assistant Chief Chuck Williams, a 21-year service employee with the City of Decherd. “This unit has been used by at least 100 people so far. Whether we’re conducting rope ops from the third floor deck, forcible entry training on the main floor, or a live fire evolution throughout the entire unit. This facility offers us versatility in training.”
Williams relates that the City of Decherd makes the Ready-Set-Go unit available to other communities for training, along with local law enforcement agencies. The preassembled fire training structure was purchased from Fire Facilities, Inc., a Made-in-the-USA leading manufacturer of steel fire training structures. The unit was completely factory assembled in Wisconsin, and then driven on a flatbed trailer to Decherd. Within a week of its arrival the portable unit was installed on a concrete pad and put into service.
Versatile Training Unit
“The Ready-Set-Go allows us to maintain live firefighting skills in our own back yard, instead of having to travel,” says Williams. “We set up scenarios and conduct drills without having to send personnel out of town. This saves us on the cost and time of travel, shift coverage, and renting training facilities.
“The City of Decherd is fortunate to have a training unit that provides us with such versatility. The Ready-Set-Go allows us to train on almost every service we provide without taking up much space.”
Constructed of 18-gauge steel, the training unit is 32-feet-long by almost nine-feet wide. The deck live load features an 11-gauge steel tread plate with a live load of 100 PSF. To simulate real-life situations, the unit features a three-foot by three-foot chop-out curb with steel cover, five doors, two shutters, four tubular lift pockets, plus a variety of manual adjustment levelers.
On an ongoing basis, the three-story staircase on the structure is used for fitness training. Basic firefighting courses are hosted for neighboring fire departments along with interoperability training events with those departments which perform mutual aid with the City of Decherd.
“Based on our experiences with the Ready-Set-Go, I’d recommend Fire Facilities to any department, any day,” says Williams. “The company provided excellent customer service, and supported us from the grant application process right through installation. It’s clear that Fire Facilities totally supports the training needs of firefighters.”
