A $500,000 state Legislative appropriation that fell to the Governor’s veto pen in 2021 got through into the state’s budget this year, and now it’s going to fund upgrades at Kissimmee’s Public Safety Training Support Annex.
State Rep. Kristen Arrington and Sen. Victor Torres were on hand Tuesday morning to present the grant to leaders from the city and its st responder groups.
The funding will be used to cover, or move indoor, some outside facilities, and provide on-site shower facilities for training firefighters, which is key to stemming the higher incidents of cancer among firefighters.
“Allowing firefighters to clean those combustible by-products off immediately after training will be a big help,” Kissimmee Fire Department Deputy Chief Jeremy Donovan said.
The training complex opened in 2020 with a shooting range, defensive tactical lab, training, administration and education space for the Kissimmee Police and Fire departments.
“It’s a facility that’s an investment to ensure our public safety professionals are equipped with the best possible tools and training to keep themselves, residents, business owners and visitors safe,” Kissimmee City Manager Mike Steigerwald said. “Our delegation in Tallahassee has done a tremendous job in getting us the funding in a time when trying to get anything from Tallahassee is difficult.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed about $3 billion in local projects from a 2022-23 budget of $12 billion, Arrington and Torres said — including money to fund a Lake Toho hydrilla project and added security on the Shingle Creek Trail.
“This amplifies a wonderful message, when we work together and form partnerships with local government and state legislators,” Arrington said. “Because of this, our community can feel safe.”
And Torres, a former New York Police Department officer and detective, comes from a place of experience in this case.
“Training’s all about keeping people safe, so I’m so glad it wasn’t vetoed this year,” he said. “I’m hopeful this training will help keep schools safe. After Uvalde, I feel there has to be more training and experience, to make better school resource officers.”
Kissimmee Police Chief Jeff O’Dell said the city building such a training center, and state legislators funding its expansion, shows “wonderful support.”
“I want to thank them,” he said. This is how we deliver professional services, and save lives. Looking at other cities of a similar size, facilities like these are nearly non-existent.”
