The Martell Fire Training Center

Honors the memory of Firefighter Harold “Huzzy” Martell. Huzzy was a charter member and past Assistant Chief of the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company in 1957. He went on to found, and serve as chief of, Skenesborough Central Volunteer Fire Company, a ladder and rescue company that served the area from 1965-2012.

Huzzy was a charter member of the Skenesborough Emergency Squad. He was a NY State Fire Instructor and was one of the original Fire Investigators with the Washington County Arson Task Force.

All of the programs he initiated at Skenesborough still live on at Whitehall Fire, such as ladder company operations, motor vehicle extrication (Jaws of Life), and first response (EMS).

Fire Training Center phases

The fire training center is being assembled in stages, as funds allow.

1. The first phase was a car fire simulator that is now in place.

2. The second phase will consist of Mask Confidence Course and residential search and rescue simulator. We are currently raising money to convert a donated double-wide into the mask confidence/residential search simulators. Money will be needed for a concrete foundation and ground floor.

3. The third phase will be a Live Fire Training building made up of steel shipping type containers.

Our final plan is to acquire the old Flat Iron building across the street and add a building similar to a train depot. This will improve the downtown area and tie in the rail station.