Schuylkill County is planning a $4 million to $5 million emergency services training facility and emergency operations center.

County commissioners on Wednesday agreed to ask for $3 million in government funds - $2 million from the state Senate, through the offices of U.S. senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman, and $1 million from the House of Representatives, through state Rep. Dan Meuser - for the building.

County Administrator Gary R. Bender said he’ll be submitting the request on Thursday.

The government funding would be a good start.

“We’re hoping to be able to secure funds without borrowing money,” said Commissioners Chairman Barron L. Hetherington.

County Engineer Lisa Mahall said the building would be about 14,080 square feet. The parcel has passed initial environmental studies, and the next step is to complete subdivision and land ordinance permits.

Pottsville architect Yongcheol Kim is designing the building, she said.

The new building would be adjacent to the burn building on three acres on the grounds of the Schuylkill County Emergency Services Training Center in Frackville, said Frank Zangari, president of the president of the Schuylkill County Fire Chiefs Association.

He said the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation donated the land several years ago.

The topography is amenable to construction, Zangari said.

“That level land is perfect for building,” he said.

It would incorporate a large conference center for fire training for up to 200 students, Zangari said.

At least one county Emergency Management Agency staff person would also be housed there, and one of the county’s three 911 center backup centers would be moved from its current home in a trailer on the grounds into the new facility.

Currently, EMA is housed in Pottsville. Zangari said that after the 80-vehicle crash on March 28, 2022, on I-81 in Foster Township, emergency responders realized it would better to have the EMA housed closer to I-81 and the other major routes.

“Having them in Frackville would be better for them to get their vehicles and respond to incidents like the I-81 incident,” he said.

The new building would also make it easier to train large groups.

“From the training side, we don’t have a building for large trainings - we have to use schools. But the availably is not always there,” Zangari said.

A large training space could also be used to host events for the nearby Highridge Business Park, he said.

Hetherington said the main goal of the new building would be to “build up the ranks of firefighters.”

Zangari concurred.

“We have to look at enhancing our resources in the future. Our volunteers are dwindling,” he said.

“We need to take those resources and get them together. You can have a fire truck, but if there not enough people, you don’t have functionality,” he said.

“We’re looking at tomorrow’s fire service for our first responders,” he said.

“For our youth who stay, train and volunteer in Schuylkill County, it’s worth the resources,” Zangari said.

“We don’t know how lucky we are in Schuylkill County. All our firefighters are volunteers, with the exception of one paid chief in Pottsville.

“They have the willingness, the respect for public safety, and the desire - no matter how dangerous the situation - to go out at 3 a.m. on anything from a tree down to a working house fire,” he said. “And to bring everyone safely back to the fire station - there’s no better feeling.”

“The proposed new building is a “very good move, in my opinion,” Zangari said. “Kudos to commissioners and the team that has working on this for about a year.”

That team includes Zangari, Mahall, Schuylkill Economic Development President Frank Zukas, David Sattizahn, president of the Schuylkill County Volunteer Firefighters Association, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator John Blickley, EMC John Matz, Bender, and Kim.