Wilson’s Wonders Never Cease
Wilson (N.C.) Fire/Rescue always is on the cutting edge of new technology, being an early adopter of GIS, GPS and mapping systems. With a visionary leader like Chief Don Oliver, the department was bound to be progressive.
In early 2006, the department found a unique opportunity. A 1,024-square-foot duplex on a 60-foot by 60-foot lot adjacent to the department headquarters had become available for purchase. Oliver discussed with his staff the options and how the property might best be used. They decided to convert the property into a community fire and life-safety center.
In 2007, Wilson Fire/Rescue secured an Assistance to Firefighters Grant for $184,000 to develop the Fire & Life-Safety Adventure House. Local donations totaling in excess of $35,000 — nearly double the required 10% local match required by the FIRE Grant — helped the department build a state-of-the art-facility focused on public education for the city and the greater Wilson area.
“Located directly across from the Wilson Boys & Girls Club, the vision is to produce a facility that will address many of the cutting-edge life safety issues that impact our citizens and community,” Oliver said. “We predict that this state-of-the-art facility will draw many visiting groups from throughout eastern North Carolina with the innovative educational packages which we will present.”
The Fire & Life Safety Adventure House http://wilsonnc.org/departments/firerescue officially opens next week.
The new public-education center is designed to cater to its multi-national community, with printed and spoken word available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Arabic.
“We’ve converted everything to those languages — printed word and sound,” Oliver said. “We have developed eight learning stations so that kids can learn at their own speed.”
The city of Wilson has 13 schools, and the fire department has scheduled time for each second-grade class — 53 in all — to spend time in the center.
The handicap accessible center features individual rooms including bedrooms, a kitchen including a stairwell set up with hazards (toys) on the stairs.
“The kids learn the dangers of tripping on items left on the stairs,” Oliver said. “Each group that we take through the building has an opportunity to learn about not only fire, but safety issues in the home.”
Oliver saw another benefit to this facility recently when 35 members of the local homebuilders’ association toured the facility.
“We [set off] the sprinkler booth off, brought the builders into the fire station, fed them dinner and took them throughout the new life safety center,” Oliver said. “The national homebuilders are against residential sprinklers, but we found a new understanding among this group when we explained how we could work together.”
September 16th, 2009 at 11:50 am
The Fire & Life Safety House was a great idea. Folks were definitely thinking outside of the box when planning this.
I also thought it was a great idea to bring the builders in for the sprinkler booth.
Congrats on a job well done.
Leave a Comment