Coshocton Fire Department adding new training facility

Coshocton Fire Department is adding a large training facility, designed by Forge Fire and Company, near the fire station on South Seventh Street. This facility was designed from the ground up with input from the firefighters. It also is unique as it is the tallest one designed by Forge Fire in the country.

The training facility is separated into two parts. One part is designed as a residential area and has everything that firefighters might encounter in a residence. The other half is a commercial space and is planned with many options for training.

“There are a tremendous amount of props in the facility,” Chief Rusty Dreher said.

A committee including Dreher, Capt. Zach Elson, Capt. Nic Carey, Capt. Ben Young, Capt. Andrew Akers, firefighter Brian Stiteler and fire prevention officer Brent Endsley worked for several years to design a facility that would address all the training needs of the department. Each firefighter in the department was asked for input on what the building needed. Data was pulled from hazards the department has encountered in the city to make sure everything was addressed.

The committee weighed risks and frequencies of incidents to find areas they wanted more training on. Events that are low risk and high frequency are ones the department has dealt with often enough more training might not be as important. These incidents were still included in props for training new firefighters. Incidents that have high risk and lower frequency are ones the department doesn’t encounter as often and firefighters want more training so, if it does happen, they are ready.

Firefighters spend much of their time in training and are often sent out of town for classes. With this facility the classes can be held here and save time and money. Once the facility is complete, other departments will be welcome to train there. Even other agencies such as the sheriff’s office will utilize the facility.

Dreher said there were two main goals when designing the training facility.

“The first goal was this was absolutely built at this location on purpose. This gives us instant ability to train without running trucks and crews across town. We are high-quality firefighters. The second goal is to be good neighbors. When the burn rooms are in use, it will be no different than wood-burning stoves or fireplaces — no toxic fumes,” Dreher said.

The facility has four burn rooms.

The colors of the building were even chosen with the community in mind. “We could choose any colors, but we wanted to stick with red and black,” Stiteler said. “We are proud of our school district and wanted to echo that.”

It took the committee three years to make sure this facility would be perfect for Coshocton Fire Department. A scale model was made, and even the way the building is sitting on the lot is by design. The steps in the residential part are narrow, like a normal staircase in most homes. Doors have different types of locks so firefighters can practice opening doors with the least amount of damage.

Stiteler said, “We are often called to do wellness checks, and we want to enter the residence as easily as possible with minimal damage. These doors allow us to find the best ways to get in. People are using a wide variety of security in their homes now, and we want to be ready.”

The city has owned one of the lots where the facility was built for many years. Dreher wanted to thank Marvin Lillibridge for his help in the city acquiring more lots for the department. A $1 million grant was received from the governor’s office to help pay for the facility.

Engineers from Forge Fire and Company and the city worked together through the process of designing the facility. First responders will be able to train for search and rescue, fire suppression, and many other options when the building is complete. It is a very low-maintenance facility that will last a very long time.

“Having this facility right here will allow us to train better and serve the community better,” Elson said.

Stiteler agreed and said, “We have a vast variety of calls, and we need to be ready for anything. That’s what I love most about this job. Every run has different elements and challenges.”

The idea for building a training facility began during COVID when the department was using creative ways to train and still be respectful of social distancing. The decision was made to get some new props and enhanced tools to use. Training mandates are always changing, and the department needs to keep up. This facility will allow many agencies to keep up with those requirements.

“We just had a service to honor the 50th anniversary of Capt. Hale giving his life in the line of duty. Hopefully, with this training, we can prevent that from happening again,” Stiteler said.

There is still a lot of work to be done on the building. Showers, bathrooms, fencing and security are just a few things that still need to be completed. Once the facility is finished, the public will be invited to tour the building at an open house. The open house is planned for late spring or early summer.

Dreher is encouraging anyone in the community with questions about the facility to stop by or call the department.