At WHP Trainingtowers™, we have remained at the cutting edge of firefighter training by focusing on two key principles: quality and innovation. Quality ensures that our structures are the best today, while innovation guarantees that we continue to lead the industry tomorrow. This commitment to excellence has made WHP Trainingtowers™ the global leader in fire training structures and equipment.
Commitment to Quality: Building the Best Firefighter Training Towers Today
Durability That Stands the Test of Time
No other company builds fire training towers as durable as ours. Each training tower is designed to withstand extreme conditions and provide long-lasting performance. Our unmatched durability is achieved through several key factors:
Dual-Frame Construction
Every fire training tower we construct is built on a fully galvanized structural steel frame, reinforced with a secondary framing system made of 12-gauge steel columns. This dual-frame construction meets the strictest wind load and seismic regulations in the country. Our structures have endured hurricanes and tornadoes in locations such as Florida, Guam, and North Dakota and remain fully intact.
Corrugated Cladding for Added Strength
To enhance the durability of our fire training structures, we cover our strong framework with high-quality cladding. These structural panels feature deep corrugations embedded with smaller corrugations, creating a compound system that significantly increases strength. These panels, made from at least 18-gauge steel, provide unparalleled support strength comparable to a steel girder of the same weight and length.
Hot-Dipped Galvanized Steel Protection
Beyond structural strength, we ensure our training towers are built to resist rust and corrosion. Instead of using a simple spray coating, our steel is hot-dipped in a molten zinc bath, ensuring a superior, long-lasting protective layer. This method exceeds ASTM A123 standards and provides a “time to first maintenance” rating of over 50 years, ensuring a long lifespan even in harsh environments.
Our emphasis on quality results in fire training towers with exceptional load-bearing capacity, able to endure the toughest elements. Proof of this commitment can be found in our very first structure, built in 1980 in Kotzebue, Alaska. After more than four decades, it remains in service, a testament to our dedication to quality and durability.
Commitment to Innovation: Leading the Industry Into the Future
While quality ensures our products are the best today, innovation allows us to be the best tomorrow. Our ongoing advancements in firefighter training technology set us apart from the competition.
Padgenite™ – Revolutionizing Burn Room Technology
Since introducing Padgenite – the first high-temperature thermal insulating burn room panels in 1980, we have continued to lead burn panel technology. Our latest innovation, the Padgenite™ Interlock system, offers superior durability and thermal insulation.
This patent-pending system features:
- More durable and less dense tiles for lower thermal transfer
- A flexible grid system with an air gap of 1.5 to 3 inches, protecting building walls and ceilings from extreme heat
- Outstanding insulation properties, with a 1000°F fire exposure on the panel’s surface translating to only 269°F on the opposite side
This innovative system enhances safety and extends the lifespan of fire training facilities, making firefighter training more effective and realistic.
MODx™ – Rethinking Fire Training Towers
Our MODx™ fire training tower is the most versatile training structure available. This fully galvanized structural steel system offers unmatched flexibility for training scenarios.
Key benefits include:
- A completely open floor plan without interior structural walls
- Moveable, removable, and reconfigurable walls, doors, and windows
- Easily expandable design to adapt to future training needs
The MODx™ training tower has become one of our most sought-after products due to its adaptability, durability, and long lifespan. There’s simply nothing else like it in the industry.
Creating Realistic Hazmat Props
Firefighter training goes beyond fire suppression; hazmat response is a crucial component. WHP Trainingtowers™ provides realistic hazmat training scenarios through our Hazmat Instructor Series™ props. These specialized training tools include:
- Simulated gas leaks, liquid spills, and smoke effects powered by air compressors
- Leaking pipes, manifolds, flanges, valves, and seals to mimic real-life scenarios
- Exploding drums and falling cylinders to challenge trainees in controlled yet unpredictable environments
Making Hazmat Training Mobile
To maximize accessibility and affordability, we developed the Hazmat Instructor Series™ Training Trailer. This mobile unit allows fire departments to share training schedules and provide realistic hazmat response exercises to more firefighters. The Hazmat Instructor Series™ Training Trailer features a control panel operated via a handheld tablet, allowing instructors to adjust scenarios in real time while ensuring safety with emergency stop controls.
Leading the Industry Domestically and Internationally
Our influence extends far beyond the United States. WHP Trainingtowers™ has a global footprint, with our products valued for their durability, effectiveness, and safety. We have revolutionized firefighter training worldwide by combining expertise in both construction and firefighting, ensuring that our training solutions are the most advanced in the industry.
Joe Kirchner, VP of Operations, explains, “We never rest. We are always looking for ways to improve our products, whether by increasing durability, enhancing training practicality, making them more cost-effective, or improving safety. Staying ahead means always keeping an eye on the future.”
A Commitment to Excellence
Our continued success is rooted in our ability to innovate while maintaining the highest standards of quality. This dedication has allowed us to reshape the industry with state-of-the-art designs and superior engineering.
Maggie Scaletty, COO of WHP Trainingtowers™, sums it up best: “We are trying to check a lot of boxes, that’s true, but focusing on quality and innovation will keep us successful today and ready for what tomorrow brings. While it’s not an easy task, I can’t imagine doing it any other way. It’s a great model that has served us well for over 45 years.”
At WHP Trainingtowers™, we don’t just lead the industry; we revolutionize it. Through our unwavering dedication to quality and innovation, we ensure that firefighters worldwide have access to the safest, most effective training environments available. To learn more about WHP Trainingtowers™, call 1-800-351-2525 or contact us online.
