Facebook Raffles Help Fund PA Training Tower Upgrades

The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department’s five-story drill tower is getting an upgrade, thanks to community donations.

Hutchinson and Gunter, the company owned by the late former fire chief J. Edward Hutchinson, built the tower at Lynch Field in 1960.

“At that time, it was the only one around,” said department President Rick Steele.

The department frequently uses the structure to train for different firefighting and rescue scenarios.

“Every week, you can see the companies are down there,” said fire Chief Tom Bell.

Maintenance and improvements were long overdue, Bell said.

Last year, the department repaired the mortar and some of the brickwork. This year, it started adding new features.

The top floor now contains a two-tiered maze complete with a “collapsing” floor that dumps firefighters onto a bed of foam, according to Bell. A new roof simulator can be set to different pitches and elevations, to help firefighters prepare for climbing on different types of buildings.

Glass windows were added on the ground floor to more accurately simulate many fire scenes.

A new shipping container at the facility is fitted with doors, windows and ventilation. The department can burn bales of straw to fill the container with smoke, giving firefighters training in smoky situations.

The work cost about $70,000, paid for with donations from the community and local foundations.

Fundraising has been tricky this year, according to Steele. The department had to forgo its usual bingo nights, cash bashes and burger sales because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ve not had an in-person fundraiser in the Greensburg Fire Department since March 13,” Steele said.

“It’s been a lean year for (in person) fundraising, we’ve been fortunate that we’ve found a new source of revenue doing Facebook raffles.”

The department’s Facebook page hosted more than a dozen raffles, giving away TVs, computers and gift cards to local restaurants. They’ve been a success, said Steele, allowing the department to raise money needed for the tower upgrades.

The department plans to hold a re-dedication ceremony at the tower in November to commemorate the structure’s 60th year and celebrate the renovations.

Details for the celebration have not been finalized.

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