Poughkeepsie ... October is Fire Prevention month and as we express our gratitude for the volunteer and career firefighters who stand ready to protect lives, property and natural resources from the devastation of fire; Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino is pleased to announce the County is moving forward with the installation a new modular fire training building where local firefighters can train in live burn scenarios to prepare them for emergencies. With approval of the Dutchess County Legislature, the new “burn building” is expected to be installed and ready for service at the County’s Emergency Response campus at 392 Creek Road in Hyde Park by summer 2026.
County Executive Sue Serino said, “This new fire training building represents our continued commitment to keeping Dutchess County safe. Experiencing live burn scenarios is a vital part of firefighter training, and our volunteer and career firefighters deserve a facility that allows them to learn and prepare in the safest way possible. Our neighbors count on these brave men and women every day, and it’s our job to make sure they have the tools and training they need to protect our community.”
Live burn exercises are controlled training exercises where firefighters practice extinguishing a real, active fire in a designated structure, allowing them to experience realistic fire conditions and hone their skills in a safe, supervised environment.
The County’s new burn building will be a three-story modular training structure that utilizes shipping containers as building blocks. It will feature moveable wall partitions that can be easily reconfigured to alter the interior layout (creating rooms, hallways, etc.) to create realistic environments that simulate various emergency scenarios for comprehensive firefighting and rescue training.
Various features, including a rappelling tower, a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) maze, rebar cutting prop, pitched roof prop, forced entry door and more, will allow firefighters to train for confined spaces, forcible entry as well as search and rescue operations, including high angle rope rescues. Standpipe connections will enable trainees to be well-versed on various types of hose connections.
Dutchess County Emergency Response Commissioner William H. Beale said, “The installation of this new fire training building is an important investment in firefighter readiness and public safety. This new addition to our campus will provide for dynamic, scenario-based training, while meeting today’s national standards. As a result, firefighters will be better trained and better prepared to protect our communities.”
The new modular building will replace an existing fire training building, which has been out of service for more than a year due to significant structural issues. The old building, which was built in 2004, has outlived its useful life and will be demolished. While the current building has been out of service, the East Fishkill Fire District (EFFD) and the New Hackensack Fire District (NKFD) have made their training facilities available for local departments to utilize.
County Executive Serino expressed her appreciation to EFFD and NKFD, saying, “I’m so grateful to the East Fishkill and New Hackensack Fire Districts for stepping up to help fill the training gap during this time. Their willingness to open their doors says so much about the dedication and unity of our fire service community here in Dutchess County.”
Total project cost for the County’s new training building is just under $700,000, which includes the modular building, installation, as well as the demolition of the former training building.
The County Executive’s funding resolution was passed by the Dutchess County Legislature Public Works and Capital Projects committee last week. The full Legislature will vote to approve the resolution at tonight’s Board Meeting (Tuesday, October 14th).
Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Will Truitt said, “This building is the new direction in modern fire service training facilities – a cost-effective solution that gives our local fire departments greater versality to train for a wide variety of fire and rescue operations. We look forward to delivering this important resource to our dedicated local firefighters, doing our part to help ensure they are prepared when the alarm goes off.”
