By Kate Ramunni
Connecticut Post Online

DERBY, Conn. — It's been more than 10 years since the school that trains the region's firefighters closed, but soon a new one may take its place.

The revised bonding bill recently approved by the General Assembly includes $18 million for the renovation and repair of eight regional fire training schools, including construction of a new one in Derby.

"It's so important," said Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Woodbridge, who pushed for the Derby funding. "They need all the assistance they can receive for training."

The Valley Fire Chiefs Regional Training School was on O'Sullivan's Island until 2000. The island is a federally designated contaminated property, making it eligible for federal cleanup funds. In the past, part of the property was used as a dump. Later, drums of contaminated materials, including PCBs, were found buried on the island.

The school operated on the island for many years, with almost two dozen communities sending their paid force and volunteers there for fire training. The National Guard and the State Police also used the school's training facilities.

The city's facility is the only one of the eight statewide that will be totally new, Crisco said. The other seven will be renovated and repaired, he said.

"They've been using various alternate sites and situations to train the volunteer firemen," he said. The funds will cover the cost of buying a 12-acre site and of building the new school.

"This is vitally important to the many volunteer firefighters who provide protection for the communities in the Naugatuck Valley," he said, adding that the vast majority of Valley fire departments are made up of volunteers. 

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