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Gravenhurst firefighter training facility opens with thermal imaging feature

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There’s a new state-of-the-art training facility for Gravenhurst firefighters.

The Chief Lorne McNiece Training Centre is named after a 27-year veteran who continues to mentor the group.

“It’s going to allow us to train our firefighters to a level that we couldn’t do in-house prior to the addition of this training centre,” said Chief Jared Cayley.

Training Officer Tracy Joque was asked to design her dream facility, and so it began, drawn on a piece of paper by hand.

The $160,000 facility features moving walls and thermal cameras for the control room to study training through the smoke.

Window-top ladder training and a gas-leak simulator can simulate real scenarios.

“I think more than anything, they’re excited about the versatility. This is something that was maybe offered in other facilities in the province before but never in-house,” said Deputy Chief Todd Clapp.

This is just Phase 1 for this new fire training facility.

It has been designed and budgeted to keep evolving and adding more new features, such as a breakaway floor for further training in the years to come.

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