The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety is working with partner agencies to create a new countywide Fire Training Facility.
Speaking to the city Public Safety and Public Works Committee this week, Deputy Director of Fire Services Brian Kazmierzak said the department for years has helped firefighters from all over the region receive training, but it lacks a facility to do so, relying on locations in Indiana.
“Since 2021, when we formed our training academy, we’ve trained well over 2 ,000 firefighters,” Kazmierzak said. “111 have graduated from our fire academy alone. But the one thing that we do not have in Berrien County is any type of permanent firefighter training center.”
Kazmierzak said several fire departments are now working to fix that with the establishment of a center in Lake Township. He’s asking city commissioners to let the department use a $20,000 Frederick S. Upton Foundation grant to purchase a Firefighters Flashover and Fire Dynamics Simulator for it.
“This would be the first step in developing this training center. We’re working with several other departments to make it a regional facility.”
The Upton Foundation grant was awarded to the department in May. Kazmierzak said the simulator would be $29,800, and the $9,800 not covered by the grant would come from the city Fire Academy Fund, which is made of revenues from the fire training program.
Kazmierzak added it’s possible the new training facility could be located at the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport if the Lake Township Fire Department isn’t chosen.
The committee advanced the public safety request, which will now go to the full city commission on Monday.
