x
Breaking News
More () »

Firefighters Use Former Church for Training

THROOP — A local fire crew gave new purpose to an old building in Lackawanna County. Rescue 27 took over the old St. John’s Church in Throop Sunday....

THROOP -- A local fire crew gave new purpose to an old building in Lackawanna County.

Rescue 27 took over the old St. John's Church in Throop Sunday.

The team conducted rescue training to help prepare new firemen for emergency situations and sharpen the skills of the more seasoned ones.

The church is slated for demolition, which gave the firefighters a great opportunity to practice in a hazardous setting instead of in a classroom.

"This training is invaluable. It's hands on. It's not a classroom scenario. We actually get to fire up the saws. We charge lines. We're pulling roofs. We're pulling ceilings. We're making cuts because we don't get that opportunity to do that," Throop Fire Chief Andy Hegedus said.

The Diocese of Scranton closed St. John's back in 2009 and it has been sitting unused until this training session.

Before You Leave, Check This Out