COLLEGE STATION – The new Bunker Gear Drying Facility under construction at Brayton Fire Training Field will provide climate-controlled space for storage and drying of firefighter clothing for multi-day training classes conducted by TEEX Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI). The 50×100-foot building is situated next to Project # 53 and is expected to be completed by June 1.
After a day of hands-on, live-fire training, bunker gear is typically saturated with water and soot. “Wearing wet bunker gear is extremely unpleasant, especially in cold weather,” said John Coppernoll, Director of Facilities Maintenance & Construction for ESTI. “The new building requires dehumidification units to remove/pull the moisture from the bunker gear. It is expected to be able to remove a minimum of 70 percent of the moisture from the bunker gear in a 12-hour period.”
The facility was designed by Chesney Morales & Associates of San Antonio, and Quad-Tex Construction is the contractor.
Brayton Fire Training Field, College Station, Texas
Brayton Fire Training Field is one of the world’s largest live-fire training facilities and includes some of the largest and most realistic fire training props anywhere. Students can receive hands-on training on a loading terminal, process unit, chemical complex, aerial cooler, aircraft, ship, and more. Rescue props include those designed for confined space and high-angle rescue, as well as towers and even a passenger train. Hazardous materials training includes a hazmat chemical complex, tanker cars, and 2,300-foot underground pipeline training prop with eight above-ground training stations.