Woonsocket Fire Department to Use Plastics Group of America’s Facility At 84 Fairmount for Critical Training

Emergency Bailout Training Will Help Protect Firefighters’ Lives

(Woonsocket, RI – September, 2015) – The Plastics Group of America will be allowing the Woonsocket Fire Department to engage in important training procedures later this month at its production and storage facility located at 84 Fairmount Street in Woonsocket.

During the last two weeks in September, the fire department will engage in Emergency Bailout Training at the TPG site. Using funds provided by an AFG Grant (Assistance for Firefighters Grant), the department will spend 5 mornings doing classroom training followed by 5 afternoons of putting what they learn into practice. Emergency Bailout Training allows firefighters to practice evacuating from “suddenly dangerous” situations that can arise when fighting fires. Using the ropes and harness of the system, firefighters will train in learning to go out windows of at least 2 stories in height to escape out-of-control flames. The renovated Jules Desurmont Mill complex at 84 Fairmount will serve as a training site for the department for a two-week training period.

Captain Steven Reilly, Director of Training for the Woonsocket Fire Department, underscored the importance of this training – “this kind of training will ultimately save lives, preparing our firefighters to do their jobs even more safely. We can’t thank Bob Lebeaux, President of Plastics Group of America, enough for making his facility available to us. It offers us space both inside and out to work on the skill sets we need to master with these Emergency Bailout Systems. His willingness to assist us in the project is greatly appreciated and underscores his commitment to this community.”

Bob Lebeaux, while appreciating the compliments, simply stated “these men and women put their lives on the line for others each and every day – it is a privilege to be able to provide them with this opportunity to refine their skills.”