OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — A donation of 16 acres will help Osage Beach firefighters hone their skills in live firefighting scenarios.
The Osage Beach Fire Protection District announced this week that Matt Duenke and his family have donated a tract of land adjacent to Fire Station 2 off State Route KK. The district will use the site to build a burn tower, and—due to the size of the property—will also be able to practice fighting natural cover fires and search-and-rescue operations.
For several years the district had been seeking property that could utilized to construct a burn tower and training facility and had approached Mr. Duenke regarding the tract of land. The district proposed the purchase of a three-acre tract and had come to terms on a purchase price two years ago, however funds were reallocated due to an unexpected costly repair to the district fire boat.
Earlier this year, Mr. Duenke re-approached the fire district earlier this year to inquire if there was still interest in the property and then offered to donate the full 16.34 acre tract.
“The District’s need for this training facility is critical,” said OB Fire Chief Jeff Dorhauer in a press release. “The ability to train in live fire scenarios is limited and currently the only way the District can do this type of training is to take the firefighters to a tower in Sunrise Beach.”
The training tower will allow firefighters to practice hose advancement, high angle rescue, interior search, standpipe operations, ladder operations and roof operations.
Now that the district has the property, funding sources for the construction of the training tower will need to be identified before groundbreaking can begin.
Dorhauer added, “The Duenke family has long been a supporter of the Fire District, from donations of trucks, buildings utilized as fire stations, and now land. This District is forever indebted to the generosity of this family, and their continued support help keeps our citizens and visitors safe.”
