Village officials explore Lynbrook's new fire department training center

Rather than perform a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 20, Lynbrook Mayor William Hendrick invited village officials, members of the fire department and neighboring fire chiefs to explore the Lynbrook Fire Department’s new training center on Wright Avenue.

There, they saw five training courses: one to train firefighters to breathe through an oxygen mask, one to teach them how to get through a low window, one four-story trailer to train firefighters to stretch hose lines, one two-story trailer with a forcible-entry door and one with a high-window.

“It encompasses our entire training ground,” said Second Assistant Chief Nicholas Pearsall.

According to Pearsall, the Lynbrook Fire Department needed a new training center because the one that they used to use, which was located right next to the new one, was beginning to fall apart. He said that they could not use hoses in the older trailers because there were no drains.

To get the new training center, Pearsall said, ex-Chief John Chavatte worked with the village board for about two years to secure the funds. “This was kind of like his baby,” Pearsall said.

Chavatte’s efforts paid off on Aug. 20, when more than 50 people came out to the ceremony to see the end result.