Ottawa Fire Service searching for partner to help build new training facility

The Ottawa Fire Service is looking for a partner to help build a new multi-million dollar firefighter training facility in the capital.

The current Ottawa Fire Service training centre on Industrial Avenue was built in 1974, when the city had 10 fire stations.

"We've outgrown it and we're busting at the seams, essentially," Ottawa Fire Deputy Chief Louise Hine-Schmidt said. "A lot has changed in fire service technology and we need to get with the times and create a training facility that can facilitate all of that training."

In addition to outgrowing the current training facility and requiring a building to teach new techniques, Hine-Schmidt says a condominium development adjacent to the training facility in Ottawa's east end will force the service to eventually stop fire training at the current location.

"Once that's up we're going to be smoking the neighbours out. We anticipate that won't last much longer before we're going to have to stop all burning."

Council and the Ottawa Fire Service approved a new strategic plan for the service, which includes launching the initial stages towards the development of a "modern, dynamic new Fire Training and Research Campus."

A request for expressions of interest is looking for parties interested in developing the multi-purpose campus with a focus on fire training and research activities in partnership with the city of Ottawa and the Ottawa Fire Service.

"To see what parties, organizations and it could be any level – it could be government; municipal, provincial, federal – what do they have that we can work together with. It's a collaboration to try and find either land or to help us build this place," Hine-Schmidt said. "This is a relative long-term project, these things do not happen quickly."

The Ottawa Fire Service estimates it needs 40 acres of land to build the new training facility.

"This will be a state-of-the-art, inside outside, 365 days a year training facility," Hine-Schmidt told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.

"With being a Canadian winter, water freezes so we're limited to what we can do outside in the winter, and the heat of the summer we have to be careful we're not overheating firefighters in training."

Hine-Schmidt says firefighters undergo training to respond to fires, high-angle rescue, motor vehicle collisions and other calls, that all require "specialty training."

"We have lots of classroom stuff, lots of theory and a lot of practical. We want our firefighters to go into situations and emergencies being prepared; the more you train the better you can react," said Hine-Schmidt, adding the new facility will need space for classrooms and practical training.

"If you're well trained then when you get to the emergency you've done it before, so it's not new. We want people to think quickly, on their feet, and have the skills to help keep our community safe. A well-trained firefighter is a safe firefighter."

The estimated cost of the facility is more than $80 million.