NORTH BRANFORD –  Fire Chief William Seward III said ground will be broken soon for the town's first Fire Training Facility, following the site plan's unanimous approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission July 9.

"Getting the site plan approved allows us to get our building permit and start this summer," Seward told Zip06. "We're hoping it's completed by December."

The facility will be built on town property behind the current Public Works Facility on Route 22 and will include a tower which could rise as high as 30 feet. North Branford Fire Department (NBFD) has approximately $370,000 to do the job and will begin by purchasing foundation plans for the construction phase, eventually erecting a "pre-engineered steel fire training tower and burn building" as Seward described it.

Training allows NBFD to comply with National Fire Protection (NFPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training standards. Having the facility in town can improve the community's fire insurance rating (residential and commercial) issued by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), Seward noted. When ISO re-evaluated the town's fire protection capabilities in 2014, North Branford was upgraded from a Class 4/8 to a Class 4/4Y rating; but lost points due to the lack of a formal training site, he said. The town also lost points for lack of a better communications system and lack of fire hydrants.

Seward and the Board of Fire Commissioners started the facility discussion with Town Hall about four years ago. In the past two years, the need has been pushed to the forefront, with the Town Council first putting aside $20,000 toward the project during 2014 budget season. In April 2015, the Town Council approved earmarking $350,000 of a new $5 million infrastructure bonding package; for a total of $370,000 to be put toward the fire training facility.

Seward thanked Mayor Anthony Candelora and all Town Council members for being supportive of NBFD.

"The Town Council has been a great support to us," said Seward. "When they do theirbudget hearings, they allow the department heads to really explain what the innerworkings of the department, with regards their budget requests."

Currently, NBFD members travel to out-of-town facilities in New Haven or Wallingford to train, and "...that depletes our resources here in town," said Seward. "Having our own training facility will permit significant growth in our response capabilities and whenever possible integrate operations with our mutual aid partners."