AFD Breaks Ground on Training Facility
A training hub that will serve the Anderson Fire Department, as well as fire departments in Madison County and 12 surrounding counties will be built following today’s groundbreaking ceremony. Mayor Kevin S. Smith, Fire Chief Phillip Rogers, Joe Wainscott of the Division of Training for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and John Buchman, section chief for Indiana Firefighter Training of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, participated in the event.
Seventeen acres at the site will serve Anderson’s firefighters and others. The hub will include a tower for rappelling and climbing, two flash-over chambers, confined space and trench rescue stations, as well as a diving pond. Eventually, a building with classrooms will be constructed.
Mayor Smith said the Anderson Fire Department’s diligence in collection of unpaid ambulance fees more than three years ago has resulted in a million dollars that has been poured back into safety gear and equipment for the department. “Jobs and an excellent quality of life for Anderson citizens are our number one priority. Public safety is a vital component for the well-being of our citizens. Again, we are creating the best city to live in the State of Indiana,” he said.
Fire Chief Phillip Rogers said “The Anderson Fire Department is grateful for this opportunity to host the District 6 Training Hub, and we will be devoted to the high standards the District 6 Committee has set for us.”
Indiana Homeland Security Training Chief Wainscott said that two years ago, Gov. Mitch Daniels directed the Department of Homeland Security to focus on firefighter training, as they are among the first responders to any security or public safety threat. Five of the state’s 10 districts have determined their unified training strategies, but District 6 is among the first to break ground for a training facility. Counties in District 6 include: Madison, Howard, Tipton, Grant, Blackford, Jay, Randolph, Delaware, Henry, Wayne, Rush, Fayette and Union.
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