PLAINFIELD, Ind. (WRTV) — Fire officials on Wednesday said new training centers and simulators mean more Indiana firefighters will be able to get the latest training and techniques.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security demonstrated a new mobile fire simulator Wednesday morning. The large trailer includes simulated stove tops, household appliances and stairs and features a sloped roof section.
The simulators are in addition to fourteen new regional training sites. State lawmakers set aside $7.7 million for them in 2023, with the goal of having a high-quality training center within 30 miles, or 45 minutes, of every fire department in the state.
Indiana State Fire Marshal Steve Jones said the centers mean every firefighter in Indiana can train in a true fire environment. He said many firefighters did not have an adequate training facility nearby before the program began.
“I want our firefighters across the state to be comfortable wearing fire gear, going into heat and smoke, being able to do search patterns in a hot atmosphere with active fire, being able to throw ladders, doing search and rescue operations,” he said.
Jones said each training site has exactly the same features. He said Indiana firefighters are conducting more rescues than ever before as a result of greater availability of training.
Jones said there are more than 800 fire departments in Indiana, the vast majority of them rural volunteer departments. He said Indiana firefighters answer a combined total of 8,000 emergency calls every day.
