The Lieutenant training tower was added to the Fire Academy in Warren County, N.J. back in 2001. Since that time, an estimated 1,200 firefighters train on the structure each year, honing their skills. For a county blessed to be served by 100% volunteer fire and emergency first aid service, this training has been critical for the 42 fire departments and their personnel.
“All our local fire departments have access to the Warren County Fire Academy and its training structures,” says Chief Joseph J. Fox, Sr., coordinator at the Fire Academy. “That’s important because our firefighters don’t have to go out of the county for live fire training. We have 22 instructors here to support the training needs of our firefighters.
“Our goal is not to just produce a certified firefighter. We strive to challenge our students to become future fire service leaders. To become leaders that will move the fire service ahead with sound practices and sound thinking that carry on our finest fire service traditions while meeting the ever changing needs of the public we serve.”
Essential Part of Training Center
Opened in 1951, the Fire Academy in Warren County hosts a variety of training support for its firefighters. A flashover simulator, natural gas training center, car fire pad, maze building and fire extinguisher pad are all available at the academy and used regularly for enhanced training.
“The addition of The Lieutenant in 2001 brought us the ability to do burn room training,” say Fox, who has been with the Fire Academy for almost 30 years. “There are three burn rooms in the structure where we burn hay and straw, and they’ve held up great over the years. We can create different training scenarios to keep firefighters sharp.
“We find the Lieutenant is ideal for hosting recruit classes. Local fire departments also use the tower for various scenario training along with specialized training such as R.I.C. The versatility of this Fire Facilities structure has made it a positive long-term investment for our county. It’s amazing to consider that more than 26,000 firefighters have trained on the structure since we purchased it. The Lieutenant has held up great over the years and I’d recommend other fire departments and academies consider investing look closely at this hard-working training structure.”
The Lieutenant is a 34′ high fire training building that comes with a burn room annex. As in the situation with Warren County Fire Academy, the structure can be adapted for additional burn rooms. Atop the four-story fire training building is a parapet roof guard with a chain opening for easy rappelling and roof exercises. The Lieutenant accommodates many tower accessories to transform this basic tower style to a facility tailored to a fire department’s specific training needs.
Meeting the Needs of a Community
Warren County has a population of more than 110,000 people located in 357 square miles. The county appreciates and supports their volunteer firefighters by providing the best and most effective training available, so that they may serve the county’s residents.
“Whether you’re a recruit or a seasoned firefighter, ongoing training is essential,” says Fox. “We’re fortunate to have a top-quality Fire Academy in Warren County. The Lieutenant is one aspect of our training program that helps our volunteers prepare for the different scenarios they face every time they take a call.”
