Fighting fire with fire in Geneva

By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

March 26, 2008 04:35 am

— GENEVA — Years of fundraising and planning are about to go up in smoke and that’s a good thing, Geneva Lt. Dale Arkenburg said.
“I am very excited to announce that the Austin Road fire training center is ready for construction,” he said. “Everything is at the site and the driveway is in. All we are waiting for is for the weather to finally, finally break.”
The center, which will be built on Austin Road north of the recycling center, will consist of two parts: a training facility with repelling capabilities and interior stairwells and a structure to simulate interior fires.
Emergency medical services, police, HAZMAT and neighboring fire departments will also use the facility to advance the level of training for local emergency crews.
Training at the center will be used to reduce injuries, reduce property damage, increase efficiency, and for regional training with other emergency crews, Arkenburg said.
The fire training center will be dedicated to Geneva Fire Capt. John McCroden, who died in the line of duty in 1995. memory for the training and safety of firefighters and other first-responding emergency crew members, Arrkenburg said.
Arkenburg said construction of the center will take three to five months.
“I hope to have it fully up and running by the fall,” he said.
Fundraising for the tower has come from several sources, including large checks from the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
The fire department’s annual golf outing is the main fundraiser for the training center, bringing in $5,000 each year in participation and sponsorships, Arkenburg said.
The outing is scheduled this year for Aug. 9 at the Geneva-on-the-Lake Municipal Golf Course. Arkenburg is recruiting sponsors for the event. To play or sponsor the event, call 440-446-3321.