Plans Unveiled For New Escambia Fire Training Facility In Gonzalez

February 1, 2022

Plans have been unveiled for a new Escambia County Fire Rescue training facility in Gonzalez.

The facility will be located at the former Escambia Charter School at 319 90 & 9 Ranch Road, just behind Gonzalez Utilities on Old Chemstrand Road.

ECFR leaders met with representatives of Florida Power & Light, Gonzalez Utilities, Ascend Performance Materials and Escambia County Facilities Management to discuss infrastructure, training props and other details for the future fire training facility.

“This is a significant step forward to enhance fire department services benefiting the county and the customers we serve,” said ECFR Deputy Chief Paul Williams. “We are very excited to see this facility moving forward after many years of research and planning, and want to thank the Board of County Commissioners for their leadership and assistance in securing this property.”


“I’m extremely excited about the new fire services training facility being added to District 5, “said D5 Commissioner Steven Barry. “I love how the property will be redeveloped to provide a great public benefit, not just for the residents of Gonzalez, but also for all the residents of Escambia County.”

The county said implementing a fire training facility for ECFR will be instrumental in the success of the department and improving training needs. ECFR will be able to train career and volunteer firefighters faster and specifically to the standard operating guidelines and expectations.

In addition, officials said the facility will also enhance the ability to recruit and retain career and volunteer firefighters while offering in-house training at no cost to the future firefighter. The 11-acre facility is large enough to address the immediate training needs for ECFR while also offering room for future expansion. Additionally, the future training site will include classrooms and a community center.

ECFR will continue to work with local community partners to help establish training opportunities that will be mutually beneficial to all parties involved. Escambia County is in the process of beginning the architectural and engineering designs. In the meantime, the department will research grant opportunities and other funding resources to help build the facility.

The Escambia Charter School closed after 22 years at the end of the 2017-2018 school year due to declining enrollment.

Photos/map for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

6 Responses to “Plans Unveiled For New Escambia Fire Training Facility In Gonzalez”

  1. Larry on February 3rd, 2022 6:52 pm

    This facility needs to be considered VERY carefully. If the use of AFFF foam and other PFAS based firefighting chemicals are likely this is extremely hazardous and dangerous. The potential impact to groundwater and other secondary exposures is not worth the risk. These are very evil chemicals and their dangerous health affects cannot be emphasized enough.

  2. William in Beulah on February 2nd, 2022 1:17 pm

    I have had the privilege to train at a few fire fighting training facilities and they used both natural gas and diesel fuel because they both responded differently depending on the scenario. Diesel can spread easily with water because of it oily nature, so we used AAA foam, but that stuff if nasty itself.

  3. It’s me on February 1st, 2022 6:48 pm

    @dwight, it will most likely be natural gas that is used for the fire training. Just as the Govt uses at NAS Pcola. There should be no issues with the air quality degrading once the process begins…if they go that route.

  4. Dwight Norstum on February 1st, 2022 2:27 pm

    Wonder if they will be burning their props there like other fire fighting schools do (i .e.Texas A&M, the government, and others) and what chemicals will be used to burn with? How will this further degrade the air quality in this area?

  5. Jeff (TJ) Bates on February 1st, 2022 9:01 am

    It’s been a little over 40 years since I was a resident at 90 & 9 Boys Ranch, and I have some fond (and not-so-fond) memories of my time there and other residents.

    I think the redevelopment of this site will be a boon for the county, and If there’s an opportunity to develop an educational and training program with Tate High School, the selection of the site is a win.

  6. James on February 1st, 2022 8:55 am

    Awesome. Maybe now they will fix the utility poles and lines that are practically on the ground. The ones left over from the hurricane a year and a half ago. The ones all our neighbors have been asking to have fixed. Since Barry is so excited about it, maybe he can get someone to actually do their job this time. Then maybe the fire department could actually drive into their future office. Can’t wait.

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