Vision for largest training facility in the southeast

South Campus's Fire Academy celebrated the partnership between Florida State College at Jacksonville and the City of Jacksonville with the unveiling of a newly remodeled classroom and administration building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 3.The event also marked the launch of a construction project to build a burn ship and support building. The burn ship is a simulator that students will use in their training at the academy. The project completion date is Aug. 2010.

Mayor John Peyton attended the ribbon-cutting event and gave a supportive speech. He said that 50 percent of the cities budget goes toward public safety, so anything that we can do to help train people is good.

The budget for the project is 3.71 million dollars. The college is not the only party responsible for footing the bill. The City of Jacksonville is also helping to supply the funds for the project. The funding is coming from federal, state and local government.

"The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and the college have a working partnership on a daily basis year round," said Elly Byrd, division chief of training for the JFRD.

"The equipment will give the department and other entities the ability to increase the training base required to address fire related emergencies with ships, boats and marine related emergencies that Jacksonville is exposed to," said Byrd.

The burn ship will be a life-size model. The site where the building is taking place will also have a pond and water drafting tank. This will allow students to have a real idea what waterside firefighting and water drafting are like.

Daniel Kleman, director at JFRD, spoke at the ribbon-cutting event as well. He addressed the partnership and shared the vision for building one of the best fire and rescue departments in America. He said that with the new equipment, trainees will be able to handle any situation.

"It is time, effort and money well spent,'' said Kleman.

"It is our intention for The Fire Academy of the South to become the premier fire training facility in the United States," said College President Steven Wallace.

Plans for South Campus' new training facility includes three different phases. Phase II will include the burnship and maritime prop facilities. Phase III will include the fuel spill simulator, retention ponds, and other traininf facilites. Located below is a proposed arial view of the grounds. For more information and detailed maps or .pdfs please see our website.www.campusvoiceonline.com.