NORWICH – New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance Company contributed over $4,000 to Chenango County Bureau of Fire so it could purchase a $9,000 piece of training equipment that aids both young firefighters and citizens in learning the proper way to use a fire extinguisher.

The fire extinguisher training unit, the BullEx unit, provides live-fire extinguisher training in a controlled environment.

County Deputy Fire Coordinator Michael K. Beckwith said the unit generates a propane flame that can be easily controlled, the second part of the unit is a mock fire extinguisher that shoots pressurized water. The two parts are linked by sensors that record the direction and accuracy of the nozzle versus the base of the fire, as a user successful aims the unit will automatically deactivate the propane flame.

“Pull the pin, aim the head for the base of the flames and sweep left to right. This new unit allows us to have a controlled environment and avoids wasting a live extinguisher for training. The sensors judge how you’re putting out the fire, the more accurate and better job you can do the quicker it’ll go out,” said Beckwith.