Soon-To-Be Demolished House Giving Vernon Firefighters Real-Time Training

VERNON, CT — Before it is razed to make room for a new addition to the local senior center, the Vernon Fire Department has been using an old house on Bolton Road as a training ground.

Crews have been able to simulate several scenarios — a smoke-filled building to exercise skills to include hose-line advancement, forcible entry, roof and window ventilation, search and rescue, and overhaul.

"We thank the town for allowing us to utilize this structure prior to its demolition to hone our skills to improve our ability to assist and protect the citizens of the town of Vernon, fire officials said.

Firefighters will get one last crak at the home Saturday.

Here's a look at the training:

Ground was officially broken Wednesday for a project that will construct a sizable addition to the Vernon Senior Center at the site of the home.

Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne is calling the project "the last piece of the puzzle" at the ever-growing Senior Center. When opened at its present 147 Bolton Road location in 2018, the center had 835 members. As of Wednesday morning, the roster was 4,000-plus.

To make room for the 6,000-square-foot, 78-by-85-foot prefabricated building, the town bought the adjacent property to the south, which was owned by TicketNetwork. The Town Council in December approved a project budget not-to-exceed $1.869 million that includes the purchase of the house, demolition, site work and the pre-fab building.

Work had to wait until July 1, to to give members of a family living there time to finish school and relocate. The family was relocated with the help of the town and TicketNetwork.

Federal grant funds from the American Rescue Plan Act will pay for the project.

The new building will enable the senior center to host larger groups for its events and add a greater variety of athletic activities, Champagne said.