WHITBY, ONT. — The Town of Whitby is embarking on a first, with plans to construct a fire training tower.
Located at Whitby Fire Headquarters, 111 McKinney Dr., the four-storey facility will be designed to provide local firefighters with realistic, hands-on training in a controlled environment, explains a release.
It is expected to open later this year.
The tower will be equipped with burn rooms and training props. It will be fuelled by liquid propane, allowing crews to simulate real-life fire scenarios. Firefighters can practice highrise firefighting, technical rescues and search and rescue operations.
In particular, one side of the fire tower will be designed to model a two-storey home, while other sides will be modelled to represent the downtown core, a highrise and an industrial setting.
Whitby Fire also practices regular training on fire behaviour, rescue techniques, equipment use and handling hazardous materials.
There are also plans to use the tower to support public education programs in the future, the release adds.
