Over the past 23 years, thousands of first responders have trained and perfected their life saving abilities in the Camden County Burn Building. This hallmark of firefighting preparation in South Jersey has been utilized for a variety of exercises from Haz-Mat to fire suppression training. Based on its importance, the Freeholder Board is ensuring this asset remains a vital piece of fire training for years to come by making a strategic investment in the facility.
“The Burn Building provides a critical component of preparation by simulating conditions that firefighters may face in real life,” said Freeholder Michelle Gentek-Mayer, liaison to the department of public safety. “That is why the Freeholder Board and Camden County College have invested more than $100,000 to upgrade the facility and enhance safety.”
The Burn Building is equipped with seven environmentally responsible propane-fueled simulators. The upgrades included replacing the original propane sensors that had exceeded their life cycle, and the installation of a new digital monitoring system.
“The Freeholder Board is committed to keeping our first responders safe by providing them with access to the most current training and resources,” Gentek-Mayer said. “The drills and preparation they conduct throughout the year enable them to effectively assist the residents of Camden County in any emergency situation.”
When in use, the Burn Building is continuously monitored to prevent any possible failures in the system. The training facility’s computer system senses water application and introduces theatrical smoke conditions. Powerful fans installed in the Burn Building can immediately clear smoke and permit normal visibility for those training in the structure.
“The Camden County Regional Emergency Training Center offers a variety of modern courses to continuously improve the emergency service delivery not only for Camden County but surrounding counties and industrial entities,” said Battalion Chief Marc Rigberg of the Winslow Township Fire Department. “The facility and professional staff continue to develop to meet these ever increasing needs.”
In addition to providing Camden County firefighters with the knowledge and skills they need to be prepared for any emergency situation, the RETC provides also provides training to private industry.
“The PSE&G Nuclear Fire Department provides fire protection to three nuclear generating stations in South Jersey. Our firefighters utilize the Camden County Fire Academy for the wide variety of training opportunities available and the quality of the facilities and staff,” said Chief John Carlin of the PSEG Nuclear Fire Department. “The structural burn building is state of the art and provides us the ability to conduct challenging training sessions under the most realistic circumstances possible. The Academy staff is always accommodating in creating a custom training experience for our unique firefighting needs in the nuclear power industry.”
The Camden County Regional Emergency Training Center (RETC) is a state-of-the-art, environmentally-safe training facility that offers a wide range of academic and hands-on opportunities for all disciplines within the public safety community. A key component of the RETC is the Burn Building, a live fire simulator that has logged over 200,000 fires and trained thousands of first responders since opening in 1992.
