Board approves purchase of training equipment for BFD

By John Howell
Batesville aldermen meeting Tuesday, Dec. 20, approved Fire Chief Tim Taylor’s request to purchase LP gas burn props for the Broome-Florence Training Facility on Panola Avenue at Bright Street.
The props will simulate real fire conditions for training purposes. The props include a “burn room with a flash/rollover option.” Purchase of the $133,175 prop system is partially funded through an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) of $80,958 from the Dept. of Homeland Security, according to Taylor.
The Broome-Florence Training Facility was constructed from multiple shipping containers joined together to simulate multi-story buildings with interior stairwells and exterior stairways. The props add further realism for training firefighters on standpipe systems and searches of smoke-filled motel rooms and homes.
The training facility was begun with $50,000 bequeathed to the fire department by the late Elizabeth Florence in memory of her brother, former Fire Chief Dave Broome.
During Tuesday’s meeting, officials also modified the fire department’s purchase authorization for rope rescue equipment to replace 11-year-old equipment “that has since reached and exceeded its life  expectancy,” Taylor’s request stated. The rope rescue equipment from Sun Coast Fire and Safety runs about $9,300 which will be reimbursed through a grant from Homeland Security, according to Taylor.
In other fire department business, aldermen approved Taylor’s recommendation of hourly pay increases for three firefighters to be commensurate with recently completed training and advancements.
The mayor and aldermen heard Taylor’s report early during the afternoon meeting to allow him to join other firemen in attending the visitation and funeral for Annette Snyder, wife of Batesville fireman James “Cowboy” Snyder. She died Dec. 16 at age 47.