named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Burn Tower Training
Live-fire training in a structure designed like a residential home, used for engine company operations, search and rescue, chimney fires, and high-angle rescue drills
Fire Behavior Trailer (Flashover Simulator)
Controlled simulation of fire development and flashover conditions to teach recognition and survival tactics
SCBA Mask Confidence Building
Training to build proficiency in self-contained breathing apparatus use through obstacle courses and mazes
Smoke House Training
Search and rescue drills in a smoke-filled environment using mannequins, without live fire
Vehicle Extrication & Vehicle Fire Pad
Hands-on training for vehicle fire response and extrication techniques, including stabilization
Ventilation Station
Roof ventilation training on various roof types including asphalt shingle, metal, and flat commercial roofs with parapet walls
activities · 1 group
What they do
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Volunteer Fire Department Services 3 activities
- Deliver firefighter training programsProvides hands-on education and training to volunteer and professional firefighters in fire control, fire prevention, rescue techniques, first aid, emergency medical assistance, and emergency response procedures. Training includes live-fire drills, structural firefighting, confined space rescue, bailout procedures, and high-angle rescue using specialized facilities such as a burn tower, smoke house, and SCBA confidence maze.
- Operate and maintain fire training facilitiesManages a fire training center equipped with a burn tower, smoke house, SCBA building, vehicle pad, ventilation training roofs, classroom, and flashover simulator. The facility supports diverse training scenarios including structural firefighting, search and rescue, ventilation techniques, vehicle extrication, and fire behavior observation. Ongoing infrastructure improvements include roadway paving, drainage upgrades, water system extensions, and hydrant installation.
- Provide facility access and rental servicesOffers paid access to training facilities for fire departments and emergency responders, including full-day and half-day use of the burn tower for $800 and $500 respectively, general facility access for $300 per day, and an honorary membership package for $1,000 that includes four live-fire training sessions.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$188K
Contributions & grants$178K95%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$6K3%
Other revenue$4K
expenses
Total expenses$33K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$442K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$442K
3 years on record · 2023–2025 · YoY revenue +12.5%
relationships · 11
Who they work with
- Big Red's towing Partner — Assisted with unloading and setting up the flashover simulator on site.
- City of Watertown Fire Department Partner — Partner agency conducting recruit training at the facility
- D.E. Taroli Construction Partner — Contractor that installed additional water line and hydrant for training facilities.
- JFB Enterprises Partner — Refurbished the flashover simulator for the Fire Training Center.
- Leasing 2 Funder — Financed the refurbishment and delivery of the flashover simulator.
- Nedrow Fire Department Partner — Partnered for search and rescue training at the Smoke House facility.
- Onondaga Hill Fire Department Partner — Partnered for rope rescue training using the SCBA Building and small tower.
- Onondaga Nation Fire Department Partner — Partnered for search and rescue training at the Smoke House facility.
- Sentinel Heights Fire Department Partner — Provided generous donations enabling facility upgrades at the Fire Training Center of the Town of Onondaga.
- Taunton Fire Department Partner — Partnered for initial engine company operations training at the Burn Tower.
- Town of Onondaga Fire Departments Partner — Provided cooperation and support enabling the acquisition of the flashover simulator.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Comprehensive Emergency Response Training for Volunteersmethodology: emergency_response_trainingBy training volunteer firefighters in full-spectrum emergency response techniques, the center increases community resilience and disaster readiness because standardized, hands-on instruction closes preparedness gaps in under-resourced departments.
- Department-Integrated Training with Oversightmethodology: department_integrated_trainingBy enabling fire departments to conduct customized, on-site training with director oversight, the center ensures that instruction is both operationally relevant and safely executed, improving skill retention and departmental cohesion because context-specific practice increases real-world applicability.
- Realistic Fire Behavior Simulationmethodology: fire_behavior_simulationBy simulating controlled fire behavior and realistic structural conditions, firefighters learn to recognize life-threatening events like flashover and practice critical decision-making under stress, which improves survival rates during actual incidents because experiential learning builds faster recognition and response.