On Thursday, Sept. 26, the Cinnaminson Fire Department held a press event to present and demonstrate a new service that will revolutionize the way fire training is taught. The event took place at the Sea Box Complex located off of Union Landing Road.
The local business Sea Box donated a state-of-the-art electronic fire extinguisher training system that will increase the fire department’s ability to provide training to the community and within its own firefighter ranks,
“This system allows us to simulate fires in various areas of a workplace, including industrial and office settings,” said Cinnaminson Fire Department Chief William Kramer. “Using this equipment, employees can be taught the various types and stages of fires and how to use a fire extinguisher.”
According to Kramer, Sea Box not only invested with the town, but it also invested in itself. The safety services that the fire department offers typically rely on the weather. Therefore, previously meeting with businesses to teach them about fire safety depended on if the sun was shining or not. Sometimes events were canceled due to bad weather, which was the case of several businesses, including Sea Box.
However, the fire department and the local business no longer have to worry about the weather because the training system can be taught indoors. The donation incorporates digital fire training. It has a digital projector and a real fire extinguisher that has been retooled with lasers and sensors to mimic a real fire. The system also includes a theatrical smoke generator and a water hose with lasers that can mimic putting out a fire.
Instead of training with a real fire or having the need to release the dry chemicals within the fire extinguisher, the fire department can teach the same lesson free of any dangers and unneeded smoke.
“It has a laser where you can see where you’re aiming it, so you can see if you’re doing it right,” said Kramer. “We like to teach people to come in with a sweeping motion as you approach a fire. While it is only digital, it will show you if you are doing it correctly.
“The business community in this town is amazing,” Kramer continued. “They step up all the time whenever we need them. The way the fire department survives is primarily from taxes, and donations are secondary. For a business to make such an investment in the community that also allows us to enhance our services is amazing. This is a big deal. It’s not an inexpensive piece of equipment.”
The fire department will be presenting this event to the public at Cinnaminson Day as well as its month-long approach to Fire Prevention Week, which officially starts on Oct. 6. Throughout the month, the fire department will be talking to students about the importance of having an evacuation plan, what to do in case of a fire, electrical safety, cleaning out dryer vents and much more.
