February 15, 2012

GOV. BACKS FUNDING FOR FIRE TRAINING SCHOOLS

State Representative Susan Johnson praised a decision by Governor Dannel P. Malloy to include $26.2 million in his proposed midterm budget adjustments for renovations and improvements to five regional fire training schools in dire need of modernization, including the Eastern Connecticut Regional Fire School in Willimantic.

“I’m delighted that Governor Malloy is committed to funding the necessary upgrades to the Willimantic fire school. It will guarantee that our local firefighters are able to get the training they need right here in Eastern Connecticut,” said Rep. Johnson.

State Rep. Susan Johnson with members of the Connecticut State Firefighters Association
announcing funding for the state's regional fire schools

The funding was announced Tuesday at the State Capitol. Rep. Johnson was joined at the event by Windham Center Firefighter Dawn Niles and Mansfield’s Al Hawkins who is in charge of the fire schools statewide.

In 1999 the Connecticut State Firefighters Association (CSFA) launched a long-term construction plan to upgrade seven of Connecticut’s regional fire schools, which provide training and education to firefighter trainees and other first responders. To date, work at the New Haven school has been completed and work has begun on the Hartford County fire school in Windsor Locks.

If the governor’s proposed budget adjustments are approved upgrades will be made to the Eastern Connecticut Regional Fire School in Willimantic, and fire training schools in Beacon Falls, Fairfield, Torrington and Waterbury.

The Eastern Connecticut Regional Fire School is a 10 acre property in Willimantic, which is the principal training facility for public fire departments (both paid and volunteer) in Tolland, Windham and New London Counties.

According to the CSFA there are about 26,000 fire fighters in Connecticut. About 4000 are professional firefighters and more than 22,000 are volunteers.