Lubrizol funds training for Lake County firefighters in Texas

Jun. 28--Firefighters from multiple cities and townships will be packing their bags and heading south soon.

They're taking part in a week-long training academy that will be held at Texas A&M in College Station. The classes will focus on combating and preventing industrial fires.

Lubrizol will be footing the bill for several of the firefighters' expenses as they have for more than 30 years.

"There's an old saying, 'in emergency response, it's wise to make friends before you need them,'" said Lubrizol's Greg Hollerbach.

Hollerbach is part of Lubrizol's own fire brigade. Staff in both their Wickliffe and Painesville plants train to handle fires, but given the sheer size of the facilities and the volatility of the chemicals they use Hollerbach feels it a wise insurance policy to ensure the surrounding area fire departments have all the necessary training needed should the worst ever occur.

Firefighters from across Painesville, Painesville Township, Mentor and Wickliffe have all benefited from the course in the past. This year, Painesville Fire Department's Drew Lemmerbrock, Wickliffe's Joseph Ihlenfield, and Painesville Township 15-year veteran Clint Buchanan are among those selected to take part in the academy in Texas.

Painesville Township Fire Chief Frank Huffman said that the determination was left up to the individual fire departments. Those that go, do so as volunteers, but Huffman notes that it often comes down to seniority due to the program's popularity.

Also a member of the Lake County Fire Chiefs Association, Hollerbach has been involved with the program for the past 14 years and sees it as an opportunity to trade vital training insights and information across departments as well as with Lubrizol's in-house fire prevention staff.

While the firefighters' wages are left to their respective departments, those that Lubrizol selects to send have their course costs, travel expenses, rental cars, and room and board fully funded from the company. It can vary year to year, but Hollerbach estimates that it costs them around $5,000 per firefighter to send through the course.

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