The County Regional Fire Service and its partners have announced the grand opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art Fire Training Centre.
The Fire Service was joined by representatives of the City of Grande Prairie and the MD of Greenview during the opening ceremony at the County Dunes Fire Station on October 30th.
The project initially received the green light in 2019 when county council supported the replacement of the former regional training facility due to its age. Councillors identified two priorities for the new facility, including the replacement of infrastructure, and a cleaner-burning propane structure.
On top of enhancing firefighting preparedness, officials suggest the new facility will offer “significant” cost savings and increased efficiency for all three municipalities the Fire Service is responsible for. According to their report, the county says by training locally, the need for costly travel to other locations is eliminated. County Fire Chief Trevor Grant says the new facility will “profoundly” impact the entire region.
“Our firefighters will have access to advanced, hands-on training to facilitate rapid and effective emergency response. Improving our capabilities is an improvement to community safety,” he says.
Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the project marks a testament to the strength of the City and County’s ongoing partnership with the MD of Greenview.
