Residents express concern about proposed training tower

A handful of Avon residents came to a March 4 work session expressing concerns about a proposed training tower to be placed at the rear of the Avon Fire Department at 36185 Detroit Road.

The proposed 1,280 square foot structure was recommended by the Avon Planning Commission for a special use permit on Feb. 20. The structure would be three stories, standing about 36 feet high, and constructed out of storage containers. The facility would allow Avon firefighters to train locally.

Residents told Council putting the tower in this location would contribute to congestion, and threaten the aesthetics of the area that has built up as a key part of the city’s development.

Resident Loren Easterday was worried about the impact of other departments using the facility to train and putting it in an area that is on display for visitors as a focal point.

“I was sort of put off by the training from other fire companies and how much equipment they would bring in to a fairly congested area. That area is heavily used with the post office and the park systems there,” Easterday said.

He stressed fire towers he has seen have never been in key areas of civic and community life and encouraged Council to rethink the proposal.

“Certainly this Council and previous Councils have built this area to be a focal point of the city with three public buildings in the Western Reserve style and the Aquatic Center, the walking trail, and the upcoming Veteran’s Memorial,” Easterday said.

“My feeling is a stack of five shipping containers is not what we want residents to see there. It’s not what we want visitors to see, it’s not what at least several residents want to see there.”

Resident Mike Wagner added his concerns about the structure becoming an eyesore directly in the vicinity of where the city is constructing the Avon Veterans Memorial.

“If it’s such a great thing to have, why don’t more cities have these,” Wagner said. “And is there an opportunity to train with someone else somewhere else? I don’t’ believe (North) Ridgeville has one. Why is Avon taking this on?

“I don’t think the location is particularly great. You are putting a memorial (Avon Veterans Memorial) just directly opposite where it’s at and it’s going to be kind of an eyesore. I just don’t feel it’s a real appropriate place to put this.

Avon Assistant Fire Chief Mike Emling stressed the proposal was about keeping firefighters prepared on the job.

“Last year we ran approximately 3,260 runs, of which all but 10 percent were medical. Our guys are training and practicing our medical daily,” Emling said. What we do lack in is we do not have the facility or resources to train in our fire aspect of our job. What this training tower will allow us to do is onsite training to hone our skills for firefighting activity, rescue out of a building, combined rescues for confined space and allow us to propel off of it and practice our skills on that.”

Emling said the department chose the location due to convenience and in researching it found offsite didn’t conform to the department’s needs.

“We thought about doing this off-site, but the impact of off-site preparation would make it almost cost prohibitive at this point. With this, we don’t have to do any site modifications.

“My feeling is a stack of five shipping containers is not what wewant residents to see there. It’s not what wewant visitors to see, it’s not what at least several residents want to see there.”

— Resident Loren Easteday

Emling added the facility will have limited burning and the interior of the structure can be reconfigured to any kind of floor plan firefighters might find in a house.

The structure simulates a myriad of conditions firefighters could face on the job, including smoke and flames, and allows for different types of rescue scenarios prompting concerns from residents who believe it could be a nuisance to the area.

Avon Fire Chief Frank Root said the department would table any discussion of allowing additional departments to train at the site into the foreseeable future until they can determine they are still being good neighbors to the surrounding area.

In taking on the initiative, Root stressed it was about giving Avon firefighters the best chance to prepare and continuing to be better.

“We strive to be the best. We strive to be the best fire department we can,” Root said. “That’s why we are taking this on.”

The training tower proposal will have its first reading in Avon City Council’s regular session on March 11.