The Comox Fire Training Centre is in the process of expanding its training facilities with the addition of a new building.
The centre will soon have four separate buildings used four very different training scenarios.
The new building is about 30 per cent complete and will include training props designed around searching for victims and rescuing firefighters in needed.
Chief Gord Schreiner states: “We have spent thousands of dollars and a considerable amount of time and effort developing our training site and the training courses to go along with it. We believe we have one of the best training centres in the province.
"Our centre is well used but we still have a lot of additional untapped capacity. We are seeing more and more local departments use this training centre on a regular basis.
"We are very pleased to be able to add this addition to our site. When completed there is not much in the line of structural firefighter training that we will not be able to do here in Comox.”
The centre is used by firefighters from all over Vancouver Island on almost every weekend of the year. The Comox Fire Training Centre has signed a formal “service provider” agreement with the Justice Institute of BC, which will enable them to further expand the courses they offer in Comox to the benefit of all local fire departments.
This partnership allows firefighters on Vancouver Island to received great accredited training without having to travel to the mainland, saving both time and money.
Since it formally started in 2002, Comox Fire Training Centre has seen over 1900 firefighters attending their various training courses. The centre has been developed over many years and is now ranked as one of the best in the province.
The centre currently boasts two classrooms, two training towers, a “live fire” training building and numerous natural gas-fueled training props.
— Comox Fire Training Centre