AGENDA #6b

 

BUDGET WORKING PAPER

 

 

TO:                  W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

FROM:            Daniel Jones, Fire Chief

 

SUBJECT:       Response to Inquiry Concerning Feasibility of Eliminating the Training Grounds at Fire Station #4

 

DATE:             April 2, 2003

 

This report addresses the question of whether the elimination of the training grounds at Fire Station #4 would adversely impact Chapel Hill Fire Department personnel.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Chapel Hill Fire Department operates a basic training facility located adjacent to Fire Station #4, 1695 Airport Road.  The training facility includes a five story building, a drafting pit used to service test fire apparatus and a two and a half story burn building.  These facilities were built in two phases during the 1980’s to replace the previous training tower located on Plant Road.  In 1999, Town Council approved funding to complete major renovations to both structures to repair damages due to age and usage.  The work on the drill tower is complete and additional repairs have been approved in the current Capital Improvements Program for the burn building to return the building to a fully functioning facility.

 

At the time of construction, the burn building was isolated in the wooded area below Fire Station #4.  As residential houses were built, the training grounds were fenced in to increase the level of safety and security of the buildings.  Fire Department staff has received two citizen concerns regarding the training facility.  The first requested plantings along the Weaver Dairy Extension frontage to hide the fence and the second dealt with the light coming into a neighbor’s window during night time training sessions.  Both requests were addressed; the first by planting shrubs along the road, and the second by shielding the exterior lights to direct the light away from the residential neighborhood.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The presence of the training grounds represents a valuable resource for the Chapel Hill Fire Department.  The controlled access safety zone of the facility establishes a safer location away from pedestrian and vehicular movement for fire operations.    The design and construction of the facilities provides training resources that can be used repeatedly while providing necessary props for a variety of training applications.

 

The drill tower has four interior floors and a flat roof constructed out of concrete and brick.  All doors and windows are metal with openings large enough for a firefighter to enter while wearing full protective clothing and air pack.  This construction characteristic is an important safety feature during training scenarios.  Examples of training uses include high-rise building operations, fire protection applications (sprinkler and standpipe), technical rescue drills such as rappelling, ground ladder operations and aerial truck proficiencies. The versatility of the structure also allows other non-fire agencies to use the building such as building search techniques by the Police Department.

 

The burn building’s design allows for increased temperatures from controlled fires in simulated residential or commercial properties.  The skills practiced in the burn building represent the most basic requirements for any firefighter.  They include lifesaving search techniques in extremely low visibility environments, coordinated hose line skills used to move attack lines throughout a structure, and roof ventilation all with the added element of fire.  One method, used by fire departments without a burn building, to meet this type of training is to acquire structures slated for demolition and then set fires in them.  Although this method is the most realistic, it has environmental impacts from the smoke and water run-off.  During live fire training sessions, only wooden palettes are used for the fuel source.  Observation of the smoke column shows that most of the smoke rises and does not affect the surrounding neighborhoods, although the odor of burning wood is noticeable.  We have not received a citizen complaint about smoke. The smoke produced by this type of fire could be compared to the amount of smoked produced by two residential wood-burning fireplaces. 

 

CONCLUSION

 

We do not believe the cost savings from eliminating the drill grounds would justify the increased risks to firefighters from reduced training areas.  The drill tower and burn building represent excellent training resources with minimal environmental impacts.  If eliminated, the lack of appropriate facilities for training would make it very difficult to meet State requirements for on going fire skill training and would reduce the proficiency of Chapel Hill firefighters.