SALISBURY, N.C. – Rowan-Cabarrus Community College held a ribbon-cutting at a recent Board of Trustees meeting to signify the completion of a new five-story fire training tower on the College’s North Campus in Salisbury.
The state-of-the-art training tower further enhances the Rowan-Cabarrus firefighter and emergency worker training program, which is the largest in North Carolina. The facility offers a safe setting for fire and emergency personnel to learn and practice high-rise firefighting and rescue operations.
The tower provides opportunities for navigating and escaping from hazardous environments, increasing the chances of emergency personnel survival and the rescue of victims. The facility allows the simulation of scenarios for the instruction and practice of operations such as ladder maneuvers, high-angle and rappelling rescues, upper-floor and stairwell rescues, and confined-space escapes.
“Rowan-Cabarrus is proud to educate many of our community’s heroes, and this cutting-edge facility is an example of our commitment to ensure that they are trained to be as safe and successful as possible on the job,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus.
The tower, which covers just over 3,400 square feet and sits on approximately a half-acre of land, was funded with assistance from the 2016 Connect NC public improvement bond. With a total project cost of $1,499,936, the training facility will have a lasting impact on local communities not only by ensuring top-notch public safety preparedness, but in terms of financial benefits such as lower insurance costs realized by optimal fire department response times and performance.
“This is more than a building. It’s a place where frontline firefighters will learn to save lives,” said Rowan-Cabarrus Fire & Emergency Services Director Roger McDaniel. “We are a statewide leader in public safety training, and this unique facility provides the latest and most innovative and specialized training available today for emergency response personnel. The result is better service for the citizens of our community.”