For a few years the Newton Fire/EMS department used borrowed equipment to help nursing homes and businesses practice using fire extinguishers – and it was a system that left those places needing to recharge several of their extinguishers when the training was over.”We would show up with a pan of combustable material, go into their parking lot and light it on fire,” said Phillip Beebee of Newton Fire/EMS. “They would bring out all of their fire extinguishers …
Newton Fire/EMS has received a grant from FM Global to purchase a live-fire extinguisher training system for fire prevention education.
The $8,345 grant will fund a BullEx Intelligent Training System, which uses a controlled propane fire and a water/air fire extinguisher to train people how to putting out fires. It uses sensor technology to detect how well a trainee uses the extinguisher.
“We are very excited about it,” Beebee said.
Newton Fire/EMS will be able to use the system for trainings at local businesses and industries, health care facilities, senior living facilities and other sites in the community as part of its fire prevention program.