The latest piece of equipment for the Hinesville Fire Department already has been put to the test and put to use.
The HFD and the city held a ribbon cutting for the new live fire training facility, off Technology Drive, Friday, showing what it allows the department to do. “We don’t have to go anywhere to get all the training we need,” Chief Robert Kitchings said. “We can do it right here. They come in and learn from the best people in the state.”
The burn building is three stories tall. The topmost floor is used for technical rescues, while the first two floors are used for live fire training. It’s even by used by law enforcement agencies for scenarios such as entering rooms or buildings.
And the live fire training facility will be open to other departments looking to hone the skills of their personnel.
“This burn building won’t just serve our city,” Mayor Karl Riles said. “It will welcome departments from across the state, providing a space for firefighters to train realistically, refine their skills and return to their communities better equipped and more confident. That makes Hinesville a hub for safety, innovation and excellence in fire service.”
The hydrants that are used at the burn building are purple — reflecting their use of reuse water, provided by the city’s water reclamation facility.
The burn building is on two-and-a-half acres donated by the Liberty County Development Authority, constructed through CARES Act funding and special purpose local option sales tax proceeds.
“This is truly a collaborative effort and we would not be here without the development authority,” City Manager Kenneth Howard said.
Howard recalled Chief Kitchings approaching him about a live fire training facility and suggesting a site off South Main Street. Then-Hinesville Mayor Allen Brown said there could be some land on Technology Drive, off Airport Road.
“We went to the development authority and made our pitch,” Howard said. “They were immediately agreeable.”
Instead of going out-of- town for training, that training can be held locally and the burn building is open to other agencies to use for training.
“It’s really a team effort,” Chief Kitchings said of the new training facility.
The fire training facility also could help lower the Hinesville Fire Department’s ISO rating to a class 2, Chief Kitchings added. He also extolled the people under his command.
“I tell everybody wherever I go that we are the best and the baddest fire department in the state,” he said.
Mayor Riles also pointed to the partnerships that led to its creation, and the partnerships that may arise from its use by other agencies.
“It represents growth, strategic meaningful growth in our public safety sector,” he added. “This facility is a testament to the city’s ongoing commitment to providing our first responders with the tools, training and resources they need to protect lives and property.”
“This is a proud day for Hinesville,” Mayor Riles said. “It’s a day of progress, partnership and preparation. And it’s just the beginning.”