PINELLAS PARK, Fla. \u2014 The Pinellas Park Fire Department built a new training tower behind Fire Station 35 to give firefighters easier access to hands-on training. The facility, officials said, will help with recruitment and retention as Florida faces a firefighter shortage.<\/p>\n
The four-story tower opened earlier this year and is designed to help crews train for emergencies in buildings such as condos and apartments. Officials said it includes eight burn rooms and allows firefighters to practice scenarios they may face inside homes and other structures.<\/p>\n
Lt. Bradley Rogers, who has been with the Pinellas Park Fire Department for about seven years, said crews are using the tower to practice pulling hose lines through spaces that simulate real obstacles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re doing is we\u2019re pulling hose lines off and simulating that we\u2019re going through a house, where there\u2019s different things in the way,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cYou have furniture and just all sorts of different things that could get in the way of you when you\u2019re pulling a hose line through a house to get to the seat of the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before the tower opened, Rogers said the department had to do those kind of trainings at St. Petersburg College\u2019s facility or at other fire stations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was tough because you have to get everything scheduled out there,\u201d Rogers said.<\/p>\n
Division Chief of Training T.J. Layfield said the tower gives firefighters more opportunities to build skills and prepare for calls.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t give firefighters experience, but what I can do is give them proper training,\u201d Layfield said. \u201cI can give them opportunities to get better, and this is what they\u2019re doing. This is how they hone their craft.\u201d<\/p>\n