February 10, 2004

Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) and Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) have joined together to provide training to the members of the Charlotte Fire Department.

CFD will use the old Queen's Park Movie Theatre on South Boulevard for a training drill that will run throughout the month of February.  The City of Charlotte currently owns this piece of property that will be the future Scaleybark Transit Station along the South Corridor Light Rail Line.

"CATS is excited to provide this facility for use by the Charlotte Fire Department," said John Muth, Deputy Director of Development for CATS.  "This is a good example of two City departments working together to provide better for the citizens of Charlotte."

CFD will use the Queen's Park Theatre for their annual Self Contained Breathing Apparatus Training.  Firefighters will practice locating and removing firefighters from a building. 

The Fire Department has more than 1,000 firefighters who rely on training to ensure their readiness to deal with any type of emergency in the community.  "Having this vacant movie theatre to use as a training ground is extremely valuable to the Charlotte Fire Department," said Captain Rob Brisley, Public Information Officer for the CFD.