#Fairfield CT–Yesterday the ribbon was cut at the Captain Joseph S. Elias Fire Training Center and Fairfield Regional Fire School located at 205 Richard White Way (formely One Rod Highway), in Fairfield. The facility was named after Fire Captain Joseph S. Elias who founded formal training for firefighters in the area. Prior to that firefighter training was limited to on the job training. Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bisson who headed the former facility and now this one is a fourth generation firefighter. He told of a story of battling a mill fire in his fourth “veteran” year as a firefighter. The fire chief he was battling the fire with told him and the other men he didn’t like to looks of the wall they were near and had them fall back. Within minutes the building collapsed onto the area the firefighters were standing. It was then Bisson said he knew he had to be done for training, “I knew that I needed to know more about burning buildings in order to keep the people I would eventually lead safely”.
The new school has numerous classrooms with the latest audio/visual aids. The previous burn house ( located behind the building the ribbon cutting took place. that is used to train the firefighters in fighting a fire in a structure left very little to the imagination. Every fighter knew they would open the door and there is where the fire would be. In the he new burn house the fire can be in a number of different locations. There are also different type of doors like the basement Bilco style even a two car garage. There are thermostats in the ceilings so instructors know the conditions they putting the trainees into.
The facility was funded by the state. None of the state representatives were available due to them being in session.
