Carbon County got to flex its new muscles at the fire training center during a Keystone Firemanship conference in October.

On Thursday, John McArdle, president of the Carbon County Fireman’s Association, presented the commissioners with two checks totaling $1,100.

McArdle said that the donations, which will be placed in the training fund for the Emergency Operations and Training Center, was from the conference and an attendee.

The conference was held Oct. 6 and 7 and was an inaugural event for the training committee, McArdle said.

“It allowed us to showcase our training facility.”

There were approximately 60 people from all across Northeast Pennsylvania who signed up and five programs taking place during the weekend.

“I’m still receiving compliments on the job that was done,” he said. “It’s only a testament to the help of the commissioners present and former in doing this and we hope that this is going to lead into being able to do more at the facility.”

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said one of the instructors for the conference came all the way from Louisiana.

He said in addition to helping our local fire personnel, it helped the local economy, with filling hotels and bringing people in to restaurants.

McArdle said that the association hopes to hold this event again next year.

Carbon County opened the new training facility on the Broad Mountain in Nesquehoning last year after planning and work took over a decade.

The facility is a location for fire, police, EMS and county organizations to utilize for training, including a burn tower, movable walls to create various room scenarios and more.

To date, in addition to the conference, events held up there included active shooter training for law enforcement, EMS training and an elected officials training showing them what emergency responders go through during an emergency event.

In addition, Carbon County has partnered with the Carbon County Community Foundation to create a fund going for the future operations of the training facility.

To donate to this cause and for more information, visit https://cccfoundpa.org/emergency_training_center.