HANOVER COUNTY, Va. -- The Hanover County Fire-EMS Department dedicated its new $3.9-million training facility on Thursday in honor of two fallen firefighters.
The five-level structure will allow firefighters to train in multiple scenarios and use materials that reduce health hazards to men and women training on it.
As for who the facility will remember -- the tower itself is named in memory of Lt. Brad Clark, who was killed on 295 in 2018 while responding to a crash during the remnants of Hurricane Michael.
A bronze statue of Clark's helmet sits outside the facility and was unveiled with his family in attendance.
"It's bittersweet because it represents a man who lived life to the fullest, who is passionate about his job, who loved everything about firefighting, but it also represents his loss," said Clark's widow, Melanie Clark. "I'm happy that our young firefighters who are training can touch it can hopefully get to know Brad, even if they haven't personally met Brad, through the stories that will surround them."
Meanwhile, the pavilion is dedicated to Assistant Chief Henry Moore, who died of occupational cancer in 2017. An engraving of Moore was put on a bench in the pavilion and a quote of his hangs at the top of the structure.
"'Never diminish the risk in what we signed up to do, which is to protect lives and property - Assistant Chief Henry Moore.'," read Moore's mother Betty Moore. She said she never heard him say that quote, but recalls a similar one she heard often. "'We're fighting fires and saving lives.'"
Hanover County said its firefighters trained with other departments while this facility was being built and their chief invited those departments to come train at theirs and return the favor.
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