Resident urges Carter County to support burn house and EMT training at Herman Robinson site

During public comment at the Nov. 6 special meeting, Valley Forge resident Chris Little urged commissioners to consider alternative community uses for the Herman Robinson building — specifically proposing a burn house for firefighter training and restoration of local EMT training.

Little said every surrounding county has a burn house except Carter County and suggested the lower corner of Arnie Hill could be suitable for such a training facility. He noted FEMA grant opportunities and other grant funding that neighboring counties had used for similar projects, and argued that local high-school seniors could take EMT classes and become deployable immediately after graduation.

"We don't have a burn house in this county," Little said, arguing that local firefighter training capacity would improve emergency response and provide career pathways for local youth. He also recounted prior local EMT training offerings at Arnie Hill and suggested reinstating them so students could graduate ready to respond to crashes and medical events.

Why it matters: Local training facilities and programs can increase emergency response capacity, shorten response times, and provide workforce development opportunities for residents. Little urged staff and commissioners to explore grant funding and identify county property suitable for a burn house or training programs.

Next steps: The commission did not take an immediate action on the suggestion; public comment was recorded and commissioners may consider facility options alongside budget and procurement discussions in follow-up meetings.