Carbon to get $250K grant to go toward fire training facility

Carbon County is a little closer to making a multiuse fire training facility in Nesquehoning a reality.

On Friday, the state announced the county will receive a $250,000 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant to help in the completion of the estimated $10 million project on the Broad Mountain next to the county Emergency Management Agency building.

“The Carbon County Commissioners have worked tirelessly to secure funding for the construction of the Carbon County Emergency Operations and Training Center,” state Sen. John Yudichak said in announcing the grant.

“It is imperative that our first responders have a top-notch facility as they work to protect the residents of Carbon County, and the funding awarded today will certainly assist with those efforts.”

The money will be used to help with the construction of a burn building, firefighters’ training building and new Emergency Operations Center.

“Improving public safety is a top priority of mine, and I am glad to see that funds have been secured for the Carbon County Emergency Operations and Training Center.

Giving our first responders the resources they need for training will benefit every single community in Carbon County and make Carbon County a safer place to live,” said state Rep. Doyle Heffley.

The county has already secured over $600,000 for the widening of Emergency Lane but has yet to break ground because of the permitting process with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Officials, in February, applied for a $1.68 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant for the project and met with Wolf in November.

The facility, once completed, will provide fire departments with live fire training sites, a drill tower and other training necessities, as well as give police, county departments and EMS classroom and training options that normally are completed in other counties.

It will be located on the ground surrounding the Emergency Management Agency/911 Communications Center.

Carbon officials are hopeful that they will be able to break ground in 2018.