SCHRIEVER, La. (AP) — A new four-story tower in Schriever will help the south Louisiana town train members of its volunteer fire department.

Fire Chief Ken Pitre told The Courier the structure was created to teach the department's volunteers how to deal with calls on multilevel buildings. The $50,000 tower will be used for a variety of training exercises, from bringing hoses up stairs to using ladders on taller buildings to repelling off the side of a structure.

The Schriever Volunteer Fire Department protects about 11,000 residents in Schriever and parts of the Gray and Thibodaux areas in northwest Terrebonne Parish.

Pitre said the need for such training has arisen as larger companies have built multi-story complexes.

More From News Talk 96.5 KPEL