By Sharla Steinman
Loveland Reporter-Herald
LOVELAND, Colo. — The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority on Friday morning celebrated the opening of a new health and wellness center and burn building, attracting about 100 community members.
The center was celebrated with a hose uncoupling, while the burn building was celebrated with a ceremonial wet down by fire engines. At both ceremonies, attendees heard remarks from community leaders, including Fire Chief Tim Sendelbach, Congressman Joe Neguse and Assistant Chief Greg Ward.
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“I like to recognize all the people who help on important things, like this wellness center here and our new burn building, because these people all help make it happen,” Ward said.
The center was built to support Front Line Mobile Health, a health and wellness company for public safety workers that LFRA works with to conduct physicals and other health checks on their staff.
Fully equipped with an ultrasound room, a cardiopulmonary exercise machine, an X-ray machine, a vital sign room and various other features, the LFRA anticipates the building will benefit current and future generations of firefighters, Sendelbach said.
“The most important thing for any fire chief… look out for the 110,000 people we protect. There’s also another thing, make sure your workforce is healthy and capable of performing that task,” Sendelbach said. “The building you see behind us will serve that purpose, early detection of anything they may be experiencing in their life.”
Ward presented each partner with a plaque or photo of the facility they contributed to, including Neguse, who helped fund the renovation of the health and wellness center. The LFRA also secured a $900,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant for the center.
“For me, supporting this project was a no-brainer,” Neguse said. “It’s federal taxpayer dollars that ultimately helped get this project across the finish line. So it’s all of you. It’s the citizens of our state and of our country recognizing that this is the exact kind of project that we ought to be supporting.”
Across from the health and wellness center at 1040 Emergency Drive is the multi-story burn building. During the wet down ceremony, two fire trucks wet the outside of the building with a hose, misting community members — giving some welcome relief on the hot day.
The building features six different burn rooms with moveable walls that are used to train firefighters for any scenario, including residential, apartment and hotel fires.
A “wetdown takes place at the LFRA’s new training facility Friday, part of a tradition that dates back to 19th-century fire crews ( Will Costello / Loveland Reporter Herald ).
Training Battalion Chief Eric Klaas called the building a “vital investment” into the safety of firefighters and other public safety partners.
“Training in a realistic, high-pressure environment is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Klaas said.
Multiple members from LFRA’s leadership team said they were grateful for the assistance of the Loveland Rural Fire Protection District board, which provided $2.2 million dollars in taxpayer funds for the project. Paul Bukowski, president of the LRFPD board, said the building was a thank you to their citizens in the rural district, a special district in Loveland.
“Welcome you to your new burn building! And what do they say?” Bukowski said. “Burn baby, burn … safely!”
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