Several years ago the department recognized the rapidly changing demographics of our community. No longer a rural farming community, our population has grown by leaps and bounds and as such, so has been the demand to send qualified, well-trained firefighters to answer each and every call for assistance. To meet this demand the department partnered with Indiana Department of Homeland Security's District #1 Training and is now the primary site for training all new firefighters entering the fire service.

For the last three years at least two certified N.F.P.A. Firefighter I/II training programs have been presented in Union Township. Each class runs approximately 5 months with an average of 12 hours of instruction each week. Incorporated in this training are basic hazardous materials operations, emergency medical care, fire prevention, and understanding the National Incident Management System. The men and women of the department have attended these training offerings in addition to the monthly training requirements set forth by the department. I am pleased to report that over 75% of our firefighters now carry Indiana Firefighter I/II certification with several more in the process of completing the current class. The department also serves as a storage repository for many of the mobile training props owned by District #1 which are available for use by our firefighters to maintain their skills and expertise.