Other than a couple of winery forays, the doors to Sunnyside’s landmark Carnation plant have essentially been shuttered for decades.
But they’ll open one more time in the next few weeks for Sunnyside firefighters to conduct training exercises at the soon-to-be demolished building at the corner of South First Street and Lincoln Avenue.
Jay Hester, the port’s executive director, told Port of Sunnyside commissioners last night the local fire department approached him about training at the Carnation site before it’s torn down.
According to Bill Harris, a battalion chief with the Sunnyside Fire Department, the building can offer experience with searches and moving hose lines through the structure.
It’s a rare opportunity.
“They never get a chance to practice in an industrial setting…a 33,000 square-foot plant,” Hester told commissioners during their regular business meeting Monday night.
Harris indicated firefighters would also like to practice breaching doors and walls inside the plant to enhance their rescue training.
Port commissioners were generally in favor of the idea.
However, Jim Grubenhoff, president of the port commissioners, expressed concern about preserving historical elements of the Carnation building.
“I hope they’ll save some of the brick and glass from the front,” he said.
Hester assured Grubenhoff and the other commissioners all of the training would take place inside the Carnation building. “From the outside you won’t see any of it,” he pledged.
In addition, Hester indicated Sunnyside police may be interested in conducting a training exercise at the old Carnation building.