Edit 10:08 p.m.: The post has been updated to include drone photography and footage from Parker Harrington, owner of High In Sky, an aerial photography and videography company who was present during the demonstration.
WESTFORD — A new fire training facility has opened in Forge Village.
The project was partially funded through $580,000 in funding passed during Annual Town Meeting in 2022, which supported the engineering and construction of the facility.
This funding included $75,000 to support a memorandum of understanding between the Board of Water Commissioners and the Fire Department, which outlined the use of Water Department land and possible relocation of the facility in the future.
The project also received $237,000 in supplemental funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, which was approved in a 4-1 vote during a Jan. 25, 2022 Select Board meeting. Former Select Board member Anita Tonakarn-Nguyen cast the dissenting vote.
According to Deputy Chief Mike Denehey, the new facility allows the department to “pick and choose” how the interior is customized. The interior includes areas for wall breaches, rooftop hatches and movable drywall placements creating a “customizable maze” for first responders.
Additionally, Denehey says that asphalt under the facility is sloped to prevent water runoff onto nearby land.
A new fire training facility on Forge Village Road. (Photo/Ben Domaingue)
