Thursday, September 15, 2016

Legislators, Commissioners Announce Funding for New Firefighting Training Facility

POTTSVILLE - The Schuylkill County Fireman's annual dinner concluded Wednesday evening with along-awaited announcement by Schuylkill County's four state lawmakers and three county commissioners: Initial funding has been successfully identified for a new burn building for training purposes.
Senator Dave Argall, Representatives Neal Goodman, Jerry Knowles and Mike Tobash and County Commissioners George Halcovage, Frank Staudenmeier and Gary Hess released the following statement Wednesday evening:

"We are pleased to work together on a bipartisan basis to improve the safety of the lives of Schuylkill County residents. This long-sought funding is being finalized to build anew training facility for local area firefighters. None of this would be possible without the public-private partnerships that have been reached. Our county has a strong and proud history of volunteer firefighters. This burn building will allow that tradition to continue for many years."

The investment of$1.6 Million is needed to build a new burn building at the Schuylkill County Training Academy. Partnerships with all the county fire companies, private corporations, private foundations and the legislators and county commissioners have teamed up to make this project a reality.

More details will be forthcoming as the agreements are finalized over the coming weeks.