After discussing plans for a training center for five years, the Schriever Fire Protection District in Louisiana got serious about advancing their needs. They engaged the HGACBuy™ government cooperative purchasing program to expedite the procurement process. As a result, their new Assistant Fire Chief training tower from Fire Facilities will have its grand opening this summer.
“HGACBuy helped us get the best price for this facility,” says Inspector Reola Lanegrasse with Schriever Fire Prevention Bureau in LA. “The HGACBuy team made the process stress free. They were informative and willing to answer any questions we had.
“After reviewing several different vendors, we decided on Fire Facilities due to the construction and availability of add-ons and accessories. From the beginning of the process, the staff at Fire Facilities listened to us. They provided different options that fit our budget and the needs of our organization. The fact that the structure can be added on to for the future was a big plus for us.”
Tower Customized for Local Needs
Located an hour west of New Orleans in the Houma-Thibodaux metropolitan area, Schriever Fire Protection District services a 42-square mile area. The combination department of four full time, 10 part time and 15 volunteer firefighters is responsible for a population of 15,000.
To construct the Assistant Fire Chief structure, the community selected J. Reed Constructors. Based in Louisiana, the contractors have a solid reputation for installation of Fire Facility structures.
“We had great confidence in the J. Reed Constructors team,” says Lanegrasse. “They’ve been able to create a tower that is customized to our specific training needs.”
The Assistant Fire Chief features a fire training tower, residential section, and burn room annex. The residential section and annex each offer a burn room for multiple training scenarios. The four-story tower and residential section provide many opportunities for a variety of training exercises including laddering, rappelling, roof penetration, and high-angle rescue operations.
“Other than normal structural firefighting, we will use the rappelling features to further our skills for high and low angle rescues,” says Lanegrasse, a fire service employee since 2005. “We protect a six-mile elevated section of U.S. 90. Our high angle skills have been tested there when vehicles go over the railings. It’s great that we can now train for those same scenarios.”
Working with HGACBuy
“Local governments must undergo a detailed, time-consuming solicitation process to make large capital purchases like a fire training tower,” says HGACBuy director Ronnie Barnes. “HGACBuy utilizes its own competitive bidding process for our vast portfolio of products and service contracts.
“This creates a more efficient, reliable, and cost-saving purchasing experience for our members, and it gives them more manufacturer choices. We also help members save money through volume discounts.
“This, coupled with our dedication to outstanding customer service, is why local governments nationwide have trusted us with their purchasing needs for more than 40 years.”
HGACBuy is a program operated by the Houston-Galveston Area Council.
