Put your name on the fire station: Brick sales fund new fire fighter training center
When the city of New Philadelphia showed their support for their firefighters by voting to approve the funds for a new fire station, the firefighters wanted to show their appreciation.The idea for a brick sale started as a way to give back to the community, to be able to put your name on the new fire station, chief Jim Parrish said. Weve had so much support from the community.Though some brick sales go for as much as $250, a laser-engraved brick to put a name on the new fire station will cost $100, which includes lettering, with the proceeds to fund a new state-of-the-art firefighting training center.The new firefighting training center will come in three sections. They are built specifically for the purpose of training, but they are the size of steel shipping containers. There will be two stacked, one top of another, and one to the side, Parrish said. The burn rooms will have propane fueled fires and a peaked roof simulator. The units also have a temperature monitoring system and can turn off the fire if it gets too hot.Parrish is pleased to have this facility right in the back yard of the new fire station. There are none locally that are even remotely like this, he said.Others will get an opportunity to train in the facility too. This is a lot bigger than New Philadelphia, Parrish said. In addition to other fire departments and law enforcement, Buckeye Career Center adult education classes will be able to use the facility, which includes a maze and repelling tower for hands-on training and testing.We always wanted to have one of the training centers, Parrish said. The cost of the center is $300,000 and Parrish hopes most of the funds can be covered through the sale of bricks.Because the city is not permitted to sell items, the nonprofit Quaker Club has stepped in to conduct the sale. Quaker Club member Tom Farbizo said the organization has a good relationship with Parrish and the fire fighters who have provided EMT services during some high school sporting events. We wanted to help them out, Farbizo said.The bricks will be laid into the wall along First Drive, which has room for up to 3,000 bricks. You can drive down the street and see your name on the new fire department, Parrish said.To purchase a brick visit the www.newphiladelphiafire.com website and click on the link to the Quaker Club; forms also are available at the New Philadelphia Fire Station. Deadline for brick orders is Aug. 27.While on the website check out the drawings of the new station and enjoy the live streaming video of the new fire department as it is being built.According to the New Philadelphia Fire Department website, the department responds to 2,500 to 2,700 calls per year.
