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Plano’s new Fire Training Center will be equipped with a Firefighter Air Replenishment System that will help firefighters better prepare for work in the field.
By Teri Webster
12:13 PM on Aug 24, 2021 CDT
Plano’s new Fire Training Center will be one of the first centers in the area to be equipped with a Firefighter Air Replenishment System (FARS), the city’s fire department stated in an announcement.
The system is a standpipe that allows firefighters faster and safer access to breathing air that they can use to fill their air bottles.
Plano Fire-Rescue’s new training center is expected to open in the spring of 2022, according to the department. When the center opens, firefighters will be able to train with the Firefighter Air Replenishment System so that they can be better prepared to use one of the systems in the field. About 25 high-rise buildings in Plano built since 2016 have FARS systems that firefighters can use, the department said in the announcement.
In an emergency, replenishing air bottles inside a building saves time and energy. “FARS is a game changer for the safety of firefighters and therefore, by extension, the general public,” said Plano Fire Chief Sam Greif in a prepared statement. “Water and air are the two biggest commodities that firefighters need to fight fire. The water issue was solved decades ago with standpipe systems. Now the air issue is resolved with FARS.”
The system was given to Plano Fire-Rescue for the new Fire Training Center at no cost by the Firefighter Air Coalition, an advocacy group dedicated to promoting firefighter safety, the announcement states.
Plano Fire Training Center Set to Have One of First FARS Technology in Area
Plano Fire-Rescue is proud to announce that its new Fire Training Center will be built with a Firefighter Air Replenishment System (FARS), and will be one of the first fire training centers in the area to be equipped with this technology. FARS are standpipes delivering breathing air, providing firefighters with a quick, safe, and effective means to refill their air bottles at filling stations located throughout a building. During emergency operations, having the ability to replenish air bottles within a building, and not have to leave the building to do so outside, saves time and energy that can be better spent in firefighting efforts. Basically, FARS deliver air replenishment when and where firefighters need air the most. Plano was the first city in Texas to install FARS in new high-rise construction and approximately 25 high-rise buildings in Plano built since 2016 have FARS. Plano’s new Fire Training Center is one of the first in the area to be built with FARS. Being able to train on the system will better prepare Plano’s firefighters in the use of the systems in place. The fully operational FARS has been provided to Plano Fire-Rescue for the new Fire Training Center at no cost by the Firefighter Air Coalition, an advocacy group dedicated to promoting firefighter safety through the use of air management best practices, advanced fireground research, and the adoption of codes requiring FARS. “FARS is a game changer for the safety of firefighters and therefore, by extension, the general public. Water and air are the two biggest commodities that firefighters need to fight fire,” said Sam Greif, Plano Fire Chief. “The water issue was solved decades ago with standpipe systems. Now the air issue is resolved with FARS.”
