ICCL Donates House for Fire Dept Training

Community News - Community News

Written by Muslim Link Staff

Thursday, 11 March 2010 12:56

When the Islamic Community Center of Laurel (ICCL) finalized plans to expand their parking lot to a newly acquired adjacent property, their thoughts turned to charity.

Not just the charity they needed to finance the expansion, but also the charity they can give to the surrounding community.

Instead of simply demolishing a single family house sitting on the new property, they decided to donate the house to the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department for training purposes.

“We thought they could set it on fire and practice putting it out, but new state restrictions only allow for other types of training ... the fire department was super excited and called us back right away,” recalled ICCL President Hayder Qaadri.

ICCL decided to offer the house for training in January of this year, and signed a general understanding agreement with the fire department by the end of that month. Due to the snow storms, the fire department didn’t start using the house until late February.

Now, prayer attendees can see fire fighters running into and out of the house, setting up and executing rescue scenarios on mostly weeknights. ICCL requested the department refrain from training during juma time and during the hours when Sunday school is in session.

The house is located a few hundred feet from the main masjid building.

Fire fighters are using the house to practice techniques like cutting holes through the roof and through floors and breaking in doors and windows.

ICCL hopes to start expanding the parking lot this year, at which time the house will be demolished.