The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services today announced that its Office of Fire Prevention and Control will receive federal and state funding totaling nearly $437,000 to upgrade its flammable liquid response training equipment used throughout the state to train firefighters. The funding includes approximately $380,000 in federal funds through FEMA’s Fiscal Year 2017 Assistance to Firefighter’s Grant Program plus almost $57,000 in matching state funds.  This grant award marks the fifth year in a row that DHSES’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control has secured funds to upgrade its equipment and training programs at the Academy of Fire Science in the Southern Tier.

“An ignitable liquid fire can pose huge risks to communities including our natural resources so our state’s firefighters need to have the training to suppress these types of fires and prevent them from spreading,” said Roger L. Parrino, Sr., Commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. “These grant funds will allow us to train firefighters across the state.”

“Keeping the state’s firefighters well-trained is one of the most important mission’s we have and the new equipment will allow our instructors to provide mobile flammable liquids and gas training to firefighters across the state,” said Francis Nerney, State Fire Administrator.

The grant funds will allow the Office of Fire Prevention and Control to purchase two, trailer-mounted flammable liquid fire trainers to replace outdated equipment currently in use. Fueled by propane, the new trailers can simulate a liquid fire on board a tanker. The new trailers will allow the Office of Fire Prevention and Control to increase its capacity to provide flammable liquid response training to more firefighters throughout the state. The Office of Fire Prevention and Control is a unit of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

Flammable liquid fires can result from the ignition of hazardous materials such as gasoline and ethanol, as well as crude oil. At the Governor’s direction, the state has taken numerous steps to help train firefighters on how to respond to fires involving highly flammable liquids including crude oil. Today’s announcement supports that continued training.

This is the fifth year in a row that the Office of Fire Prevention and Control has secured grant funds available to fire academies across the country. Since 2013, the Office of Fire Prevention and Control has received approximately $2,000,000 to purchase training equipment for the Academy of Fire Science. The equipment includes:

• A fire pumper to replace an outdated unit to support training at the Academy
• Four fire ground tactical simulation systems and a mobile classroom to increase Fire Officer fire ground decision-making.
• A high hazard flammable train simulator at the Academy to better prepare firefighters and fire ground commanders to deal with rail and highway flammable liquid incidents
• A mobile three-story technical rescue rope tower and a mobile fire investigation burn lab to allow regional course offerings.

The Special Operations Branch in the Office of Fire Prevention and Control facilitates the flammable liquid training programs. The Special Operations Branch provides education, refresher training and emergency technical assistance or response in the areas of Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue, including New York Task Force 2-Urban and Technical Search and Rescue Team. The Special Operations Branch staff also provide coordination and distribution of the State and Federal Homeland Security Grant funding to the various regions and teams for Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue equipment and programs.