Corning Volunteer Fire Department receives new equipment
The Town of Corning Volunteer Fire Department was recently able to purchase a portable fire extinguisher trainer thanks in part to a grant they received from Mutual of Wausau Insurance Company.
”We wanted this trainer because we believe that even though portable fire extinguishers are readily available, few people have ever actually used one or received hands-on training in their use,” explained Corning Fire Chief Dave Hoff. “If you don’t use an extinguisher the right way when you are working with our new trainer, the fire will not go out. If you handle the extinguisher correctly, the fire will go out in three to five seconds. We have two scenarios that the trainee can work on. One is just basic like when the curtains catch fire from a candle; the other is a trash can fire, which is actually fairly common. Working with a fire department member, a trainee will learn how to properly pull the safety pin, aim and shoot the contents of the extinguisher to put out the fire that is located in the trainer.”
Janet Kleinschmidt, Mutual of Wausau agent at Clabough & Associates of Merrill, Inc. was on hand to present the grant money and try out the new trainer. “Mutual of Wausau Insurance Corporation recognizes the important role local fire departments play in protecting the property of our policy holders. This grant program aids in the purchase of necessary emergency equipment to help these fire departments that serve our policy holders and communities,” said Kleinschmidt.
Community members will have an opportunity to work with the trainer at the department fundraiser held in June and at the annual Open House held in October. The Department intends to offer trainings for area businesses and organizations.
“We are currently developing a training syllabus for the public and doing ‘Train the Trainer’ classes in the Department,” says Len Francoeur, training officer at Corning Volunteer Fire Department. “We plan to be up and ready sometime in June. When we have our internal training classes completed, we will be able to provide fire extinguisher training on request to area businesses and organizations.”
There will be no set fee for portable fire extinguisher training but donations are welcome. To schedule a training please contact Corning Volunteer Fire Department through the website, www.corningfire.com.
The Town of Corning Volunteer Fire Department serves the townships of Corning and Harding. For further information on The Town of Corning Fire Department and First Responders or to become a member, please contact the Department at 715-536-9697, email [email protected], or see the website at www.corningfire.com.