LOCAL NEWS
CHADRON VFD TO BUILD TRAINING CENTER (with audio)
By John Axtell
Sep 3, 2010 - 1:52:48 AM

    The Chadron Fire Department plans to begin construction shortly on a training center on the west side of the city, south of Highway 20 and just east of Arrow Building Supply.

      Fire Chief Pat Gould says the Chadron Department needs to increase its training schedule to help the city keep its current fire insurance rating, but needs more space than is available at the fire hall...which is landlocked.

     The new center will also give the department some badly-needed additional indoor storage. It will be done in 2 phases, starting with a building that will provide the department with teaching and storage space.

     After the building is completed, hands-on interior training modules will be added. Gould says the modules will be built out of 3 rail car-size shipping containers specially prepared for such use.

      Although the training center will be primarily for the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department, Gould expects to see it become a de facto regional center for the northern Panhandle.

     Gould says funding for the project comes from a gift left the fire department about a decade ago by the estate of a long-time area couple, Bud and Martha Deans. Their gift was $230,000 but interest has brought the total to $300,000.

      Gould hopes to see the steel classroom-and-storage building up and in use by the end of the year.

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