Outside of the emergency services, fire departments could use and promote local businesses
ALBANY – Albany County is considering using the former Roberts Towing & Recovery Center and adjacent properties on Route 9W as the site for a public safety center.
County Fire Coordinator Gerald E. Paris Jr. explained the proposal before the county Audit and Finance Committee, outlining his vision for a comprehensive public safety center that would serve fire, police and emergency medical services throughout the region.
The site includes an existing 1,200 square meter building that Paris plans to develop into classrooms and indoor training areas. The center’s strategic location near major highways and local hotels is expected to make it a regional center for specialty training.
The proposal would require the purchase of the 7.7-hectare site at a cost of up to $1.1 million. The entire construction cost could be covered by grants from the System for Award Management and contributions from communities that would use the facility.
Paris said the facility would meet a pressing need in the region, as the only comparable training center is currently located near Rome in Oneida County.
Paris predicted the facility could also generate revenue for the county through user fees. In addition, the influx of trainees from outside the region is expected to boost local businesses, particularly hotels and restaurants in the 9W corridor.
“If we build it, they will come,” Paris said. “And by come, I mean they will bring strangers from the area to get special training.”
The Public Safety Center is designed to support a variety of training activities, including Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) training, Special Response Team (SRT) training, and rappelling exercises utilizing the site’s diverse terrain.
Paris noted that the facility could also be used to train firefighters for new challenges, such as responding to lithium-ion battery fires, for which there is currently no dedicated training facility in the state.
Since taking over as fire prevention coordinator, Paris said he has overseen a significant increase in the county’s fire training hours, which rose from 1,200 to 3,250 hours in the current fiscal year. This increase underscores the county’s commitment to improving fire safety and preparedness, with the new facility being a cornerstone of that effort.
Paris told committee members that the facility could also help the county navigate potential changes in national fire service standards. He explained the potential impact of the proposed OSHA fire service standard, which could impose significant new training requirements on volunteer fire departments. He added that with a modern training facility, the county would be better prepared for those changes.
Paris stressed the need for a training tower that the Albany Fire Department could use. Other communities have made similar requests. Colonie is developing a new three-story facility and Guilderland is nearly 80% complete with renovations to its facility, including a tower that is expected to be operational by the end of September.
