The Pembroke Fire Department announced Monday they received a grant for a new training facility.
Pembroke Fire Department Chief Nick Belair told Your News Edge the $50,000 grant was awarded by the Kentucky Fire Commission. The full cost of the project will be around $250,000.
He said the next steps are ensuring the process follows state fire commission rules and regulations to start receiving bids, permits, and other paperwork before the groundbreaking, hopefully by next year.
Belair said this is the first of its kind in the area and will help firefighters train for search and rescue, ventilation, forced entry, and other tasks.
The facility will be used for training several fire departments in the area and across the Commonwealth.
Belair added they applied for the grant online, interviewed in person in Paris, Kentucky, and found out this week they had been selected for the grant.
The facility may also help in lowering local Insurance Services Office ratings for the fire department, which determines home insurance rates, said Belair, adding it’s hard for departments to send their firefighters to training across the state.
Between Oak Grove and Pembroke, eight certified International Fire Service Accreditation Congress instructors can help with state fire training hours in this facility.
Belair thanked State Representative Myron Dossett, State Senator Whitney Westerfield, Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam, Pembroke Mayor Jeanette Aldridge, and Magistrate Phillip Peterson for their help with the project.
Belair has also received help from other fire departments, like Fairview, Highland, Honey Grove, and Trenton Fire Departments during this process.
