Ribbon-cutting planned for fire training facility in Fayetteville

Courtesy photo

The Fayetteville Fire Department will celebrate the opening of its new training center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 8 outside the building at 2505 E. Borick Drive.

The public is invited to the event, and tours of the new facility will be offered to attendees.

The six-story-tall building includes over 7,000 square feet of working floor space, and provides a safe and secure environment for firefighters from the entire region to practice a range of skills, including confined space operations, forcible entry, rope rescue, high-rise firefighting, and roof ventilation. The facility is equipped with three separate Class A burn rooms and a flashover simulator.

According to a news release, actual fire suppression can be practiced at the facility without causing harm to the environment. Additionally, the department can use artificial smoke so firefighters can refine search skills in a low-visibility environment.

About 14 acres was allocated to the Fire Department for the development of dedicated training grounds in 2015. Infrastructure improvements began the following year, and was completed in April 2017.

The main facility was funded with grants $600,000 in grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and the Department of Homeland Security. The city contributed 10 percent in matching funds.

More photos