The province is establishing nine new firefighter training centres.
Two of these nine hubs will be located in the Regional District of Fraser Fort George and the District of Vanderhoof.
“Firefighters play a critical role in keeping people safe throughout our province and I have deep respect and admiration for the work they do every day,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “As communities in B.C. continue to grow, we are ensuring that firefighters have the resources they need to protect homes and businesses. These new training facilities will allow fire departments to enhance and develop the skillsets of their volunteer and staff firefighters to keep their communities safe.”
The facilities will include live fire training in controlled environments, which the province says can include “non-combustible structures with multiple floors and rooms, such as shipping containers (known as C-cans), motor vehicles and dumpsters, as well as gas meters.”
“We are extremely grateful for the live fire training centre project,” said Cameron Adams, fire chief, Pemberton Fire Rescue. “The generous support provided not only enhances our training programs, but also grants our teams the opportunity to strengthen our commitment to enhancing preparedness in our region. This investment will elevate our training opportunities and strengthen our training excellence through fostering the development of safer and more resilient firefighters throughout our community. Thank you for investing in our firefighters.”
The province has given the Fire Chiefs’ Association of BC $1.75 million to create these training hubs.
The other training hubs will be located in Kent, Pemberton, Port McNeill, Powell River, and three in the Kootenays.