Hurricane Fire & Rescue’s open house on Saturday, April 22, featured lots of give-a-ways.
Hurricane Fire & Rescue’s open house at the new fire station on Midland Trail adjacent to Bridge Park on Saturday, April 22, was quite revealing. Visitors to the open house found that which cannot be found anywhere in West Virginia or surrounding states.
Hurricane’s new fire station features elements found elsewhere but not found at a single location. The new station has unneeded features — unneeded features by design. The station more than meets present needs; it is designed to meet future needs.
Paramedic Ryan Hale said, “I grew up in Hurricane and have seen an increase in Fire & Rescue calls go from 500 fifteen years ago to 1,700 last year. This facility can handle continued growth.”
The station features lots of space. Future needs will determine how portions of that space is utilized. Some of the extra space has been designated for sleeping quarters for 12 paid, full-time first responders. The need for that number will come. When it does, the City of Hurricane will be positioned to meet the need.
Visitors saw a classroom that could accommodate more than sixty individuals. While Hurricane Fire & Rescue may never have sixty members, it does conduct classes that provide required certification for others. Volunteer firefighters must meet basic certification requirements. Hale stated that more than a dozen volunteers have signed up for a two-month long paramedic training class which he will be conducting in the coming months.
The new station has money-saving features. It is equipped to launder apparel which has been contaminated with carcinogens produced by blazes. Hale says that the department has contracted with specialty providers for cleaning service in past years, a very expensive service.
One labor-saving feature is a bay fire truck washing. “At the station on Main Street, it was a pain. We had to squeegee the entire floor. Now it is confined to a small area,” Hale said.
The size of the new facility is sufficient to serve as a regional training center. Hale stated that such use would generate revenue to support Hurricane Fire & Rescue’s mission of service to the community.
