New kitchen firefighting equipment on display in Hattiesburg class

HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) - Inspectors and safety officers from fire departments and prisons across the state gathered together with representatives from various insurance companies in Hattiesburg Thursday to learn more about new firefighting equipment.

A kitchen fire suppression class was held at the Hattiesburg Police and Fire Training Academy.

It was hosted by American Fire & Safety Inc. from Laurel.

It focused on new commercial fire suppression equipment, manufactured by Amerex Corporation, that can commonly be found in restaurants or prisons.

“This is a new system that we’re going over here today and we’re just trying to make sure those guys are aware of what we’re looking at, to make sure these businesses are safe and what they should be inspecting,” said Cory Stephenson, supervisor for American Fire & Safety, Inc.

“We’re learning the systems, the function, the new stuff that’s coming out, the new types of systems and in my particular instance, it keeps over 3,000 people safe,” said William Darr, fire and safety director for the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Leakesville.

Fire departments from Jackson to the Gulf Coast were represented in the class.