Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet
The City of Clermont Fire and Police Department’s together hosted a recent open house and official media tour for a new Public Safety Training Center that is currently in operation. The training center officially opened its doors in January of this year and has been a continual work in progress since.
The training center, located at 400 12th Street, is a makeover of the former public works facility that had previously occupied the property for decades. Existing buildings were retrofitted to accommodate the needs of not only training but also office space for the fire department’s inspection personnel. Much of the work has been completed by fire personnel when staffing availability allowed for the extra work – much of which was completed in volunteer fashion by Clermont firefighters. “A lot of the building was left in disrepair by Hurricane Milton in 2024, but we were able to repair the damages, primarily to the roof at reasonable costs,” says Assistant Fire Chief Rick Casler.
The property and structures have been somewhat divided between the two departments with the police department taking control of the former auto mechanic bays. Portions of the bays will be retrofitted to accommodate at least one training room and one classroom for police personnel. Other plans for the building remain in the active planning stage. “This additional space will free up space at the police headquarters building to allow for further growth in the future,” says Police Chief John Graczyk.
Other plans for the facility include a regional training facility that will be open to area public safety agencies in the south end of the county, at a minimum. Currently, police officers and firefighters alike must travel to other parts of the county, or even Central Florida to acquire certain types of hands-on training.
Plans include enlarging the useable grounds of the property to accommodate additional training structures soon. “Today is an important chapter in the 20-year plan of this facility. The vision began under Retired Fire Chief Carle Bishop and continued with current Fire Chief David Ezell,” says City Manager Rick Van Wagner.
Fire Chief Ezell stated in a previous interview that the facility will reduce travel and overtime costs of first responder personnel. Much of the training center will be funded by grants sought by the City of Clermont. Along with saving travel and overtime costs, Chief Ezell plans to improve firefighter readiness, increase hands-on, scenario-based training, ensure compliance with state and national standards, and provide realistic training in a controlled environment.
“The facility will also be utilized for joint training with other agencies throughout the area. This training facility represents a major investment in first responder safety, preparedness, and community protection,” says Chief Ezell. Continual training is a must in today’s first responder safety, and for the safety of the public as well. A simple yet profound message printed on the welcome brochure sends a clear reminder of the importance of training: “let no one’s ghost return to say their training let them down.”
Some of the displays at the tour included fire suppression training exhibits, technical and heavy rescue, hazardous materials, EMS and paramedic medical training that included demonstrations of life saving measures such as mechanical CPR and cardiac arrest assistance, along with firefighter fitness training. The Clermont Fire Department maintains one of the highest survivability and recovery percentages of cardiac patients in distress in the county due to the state-of-the-art equipment that is on each of the department’s fire engines and continual training of first responder personnel.
The police department presented a visual demonstration of its DRONE program. The department operates two Drones that serve very different purposes, including both interior and exterior capability. Each drone has suspect detection abilities that significantly reduce the danger to on scene officers at active and in progress calls. Both drones have entry capabilities to vehicles and structures alike, including glass cutting and breaking abilities. A brand-new piece of training equipment for the police department was the hands-on display of a virtual reality device that allows officers to train in simulated, realistic scenarios that officers may face in the field. The innovative approach enhances traditional training methods by providing immersive experiences that improve various skills, such as taser deployment, firearm use, deescalation techniques and verbal commands.
The Clermont Fire Department and Police Department provide a variety of community services and programs for Clermont residents of all ages. Please visit each of the department’s webpages at www.ClermontFL.gov for further information.
