In the News

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is receiving $504,666 in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to enhance live fire training and firefighter fitness programs, Congressman Gerry Connolly announced.

“We have a fire and rescue department here is Fairfax that is nationally-recognized as one of the best in the nation,” Congressman Connolly said.  “This federal grant will help our dedicated firefighters train in a specialized structure that simulates the fire behavior they will face in a working structure fire and provide additional resources to ensure our fire and rescue personnel can maintain a high level of fitness, given the strenuous and stressful nature of their jobs.”

The grant, awarded under FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) program, will support three important programs in the Fairfax County Department, according to fire and rescue department officials:

• Multi Story Burn Container - The award of a Phase 5 multi-story burn container will allow firefighters to experience live fire behavior and practice coordinated fire tactics, allowing personnel to perform fire-ground tasks as they would when dispatched on a working structure fire. This training will increase firefighter awareness and understanding of fire behavior, enabling firefighters to be better prepared to face different fire scenarios.
• Peer Fitness Training - Firefighting and responding to emergencies is physically demanding. To improve safety, performance and quality of life for fire service personnel, the Peer Fitness Trainer (PFT) Certification was developed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is one of the original 10 fire departments that implemented the 5 components of the IAFF/IAFC Wellness Fitness Initiative. The award will allow the department to enroll 13 fire department personnel in IAFF ACE Peer Fitness Training; a program developed to provide a fitness trainer standard consistent with the health and fitness needs of the fire service. Once students have completed the certification course they will possess the knowledge and skills required to develop and implement fitness programs designed to achieve firefighter wellness and fitness, improve wellness and fitness of department members, and assist in physical training of recruits.
• Functional Training Systems - To assist with the build-out of FRD’s IAFF wellness/fitness initiative, the department has been awarded funds to purchase 11 functional training systems. These systems are custom fabricated storage containers designed to externally anchor and store training equipment necessary to create a multi-modality training center. The systems will be placed at 10 fire stations throughout the County and at the department’s training academy.   This award will allow the department to provide appropriate fitness facilities allowing personnel to remain physically fit for a firefighting career.

“This federal grant will help ensure that our fire and emergency personnel remain at the top of their skill and fitness levels and can continue to provide Fairfax County residents with the best possible service in emergencies that often involve life or death situations,” Connolly said.