Ribbon cut on new training facility

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A collabrative effort was officially unveiled on the Vantage Career Center campus on Tuesday, as school officials, local firefighters, elected officials and others gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new live burn facility.

Van Wert Fire Chief Jon Jones said the training facility, located on the east end of the campus, is made from repurposed cargo containers, which allows for future growth and additions. He called it a good starting point.

“It’s very exciting,” Jones said. “I never thought we’d see anything like this here in Van Wert. It’s always been kind of a dream for us and it’s really important because in today’s world it’s difficult to get our firefighters trained. We have to send them out of town, sometimes a great distance at a cost to the fire departments and with this being local, fire departments can use it and we can provide training here through Vantage.”

“We’ve made it available for all the county fire departments to use, so I’m excited to see in the future how it’s used by those departments,” he added. “It will also give us a chance to work together. It’s hard to get all of our departments together to practice for a large scale fire and with this we’ll have a place to come and meet and do that kind of training together.”

“It’s developing skills that are life and death for people in the community and it contributes to our men and women here for their safety and our firefighters’ safety.”

The facility allows firefighters to practice an interior fire attack, search and rescue, and ventilation drills under high heat and intense conditions.

The chief also explained it’s difficult to find firefighters, especially volunteer firefighters but he’s hopeful the new facility will help recruit more firefighters, a notion seconded by State Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland), who was in attendance during Tuesday’s ceremony. Later, Rep. Klopfenstein presented a proclamation, as did a representative from U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno’s office.

After those in attendance toured the new facility, the fire department conducted a brief demonstration, complete with flames and smoke.

Prior to the demonstration, Superintendent Rick Turner thanked a number of people and organizations that helped the project come to fruition, including the Vantage school board, the City of Van Wert for installing in hydrants and water lines, the Van Wert County Foundation for contributing to the grant writing process, The Marsh Foundation for selling 15 acres of property several years ago for the facility, and the Ohio legislature for contributing $1.2 million.

Turner also noted talk of such a facility first came about in 1999, when Jim Steele was Van Wert’s fire chief and the concept was included in the city’s strategic plan. The wheels were set in motion in 2019 and the facility was completed earlier this summer.

“I think it really goes to show that when our community works together we can achieve great things,” Jones said.