Schuylkill County commissioners on Thursday promised to give the county Volunteer Firefighters Association up to $500,000 over 10 years to build a new training center that includes a burn building.

The contribution could offset about a third of the $1.75 million cost of the project.Firefighters have been working hard since January to raise money for the project. They've asked for contributions from municipalities, businesses, and people, and have raised about $600,000 so far."We are just thankful that you guys have always supported everything we've done in the fire service. If we didn't have you guys, we couldn't have accomplished what we've done," said association president, David Sattizahn."This is probably the biggest undertaking that I can recall in the 30-plus years that I've been involved in the fire service," he said.Sattizahn said firefighters now have to go to other counties to receive burn building training."So it's important that we have this in our backyard so these people can train," he said.The money will come from a number of sources, including possibly increasing the county's hotel tax from 3 to 5 percent.Commissioners' Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr. thanked the legislative delegation - state Sen. David G. Argall and state Reps. Jerry Knowles, Neal P. Goodman, and Michael G. Tobash - for allowing the county to consider increasing the levy."They have played a vital part in assisting us with this, and we're looking forward to their support in the future. They are very much an integral part of this," he said."The state has given us the ability to review the hotel tax, but we're looking at all the options," Halcovage said."The volunteer fire service in this county is second to none," he said. "We are so blessed to have dedicated men and women who have come forward to serve the general public, taking time away from their families to do it."Tom Slane Sr. of the association said the group expects to break ground for the project soon.Bids have gone out, and the association expects to award the contracts in September."We're very appreciative of what the county commissioners did for us today," Slane said. "We have been raising funds for approximately two years now, and this is a boost for us."Commissioners lauded the group's work."We have so many dedicated individuals throughout Schuylkill County, so many volunteer firefighters, They are there to protect their respective communities, and they do an outstanding job," said county Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier."The least that we can do as elected officials, as county commissioners, is to support their efforts," he said.Staudenmeier mentioned the commissioners' 2015 purchase of $5 million in portable radios and related equipment for the county's 110 volunteer fire companies."We will have your backs," he said.County Commissioner Gary J. Hess, a former volunteer firefighter, said residents appreciate volunteer firefighters' "total commitment" to public safety.Hess called on young people to join their local fire companies, saying it's the "best way to give back to your communities.""This burn building will help to recruit and train young people," he said."This gives them training right in their backyard to ensure safety and professionalism," he said.The association in November 2014 unveiled plans for the facility, on Firemens Road just outside Frackville.The new burn building would replace one built for $750,000 in 1990, but was declared unsafe and closed in 2013.