KINGSTON – A task force created by Ulster County Executive Michael Hein to recommend a location for a county fire training center has presented its findings including a shared services network plan.
This proposal comes after the task force initially suggested building the facility off Cottekill Road in Stone Ridge. That was scrapped for environmental reasons.
With assistance of the county planning department and members of the fire service, siting the classroom instruction portion of the facility has been recommended for the SUNY Ulster campus in Stone Ridge.
But, hands-on training with live burn and extrication facilities will be located in two satellite locations. One would be at the existing Town of Ulster training site on Ulster Landing Road. The other would be at the current training facility in Walker Valley. The county would make investments to improve and upgrade both facilities, Hein said.
“There is a wonderful shared services network option that we have designed here ultimately delivering the highest quality training for our fire services as well as making sure that all neighborhood concerns are addressed,” he said.
The county legislature must sign off on the proposal.
“I’m looking forward to completing this project as it is vital to emergency services personnel,” said Steven Peterson, director of Ulster County Emergency Management/Services.
