Council OKs Grant To Fund Southington FD Training Initiative

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Local firefighters will get important added training on battling blazes while, essentially, being way, way above the flames on top of a ladder following recent town action.

The Southington Town Council, at its last meeting in January, unanimously approved seeking and, if approved, utilizing a $143,360 grant to pay for comprehensive training of staff and volunteers for "aerial operations."

Southington Fire Department Chief was on hand at the Jan. 23 council meeting to brief local leaders of the funding and how it will be utilized.

He 90 percent of the funding will come from the federal government, while the town would supply a 10 percent match.

The application period for the "Assistance to Firefighters Grant" closes Aug. 10, he said, and it would fund training programs over a period of two years.

Heath said the grant's availability comes at a good time, as Southington is about to get a new ladder truck to its ranks.

"It comes at an opportune time because, as you know, through ARPA funds, we are expecting the delivery of a new ladder truck in September of this year, hopefully," Heath said.

The current ladder truck, he said, would become a reserve vehicle.

Heath said the goal is to have all eligible volunteers trained in what would be a six-day, 48-hour program with three days in class and three days outside the classroom in tactical operations.

Training would be spring in 2024 once after the grant is awarded in the summer, he said.

For the minutes of the Jan. 23 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.

As an example of aerial training for firefighters: