Local politicians and firefighters celebrated Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue’s new fire training centre in Trail on Saturday.
Community members may have noticed smoke pouring from the doors and windows during weekly practice nights — a clear sign that firefighters are gaining essential, hands-on experience in realistic training scenarios.
Opened a few months ago, the state-of-the-art facility represents a significant milestone for the fire service.
“This centre embodies our dedication to progress, leadership, and teamwork — and our ongoing commitment to firefighter safety, and to protecting and serving our communities with excellence,” Fire Chief Dan Derby remarked at the official opening.
For years, local firefighters trained with limited resources, often improvising in challenging conditions, or else headed to other part of the province, Derby said.
The new training centre, at 801 Rossland Avenue, just down the street from the fire hall, is a multi-storey structure made out of shipping containers.
According to a news release, it provides a purpose-built environment to modernize training and prepare crews for the evolving demands of the job. Central to the facility is a propane-fueled live burn room on the second floor, paired with a theatrical smoke system and computerized controls, enabling safe yet realistic fireground training.
Among the things firefighters will be able to use the facility to learn: transitional, indirect, and direct interior fire attacks; door control and ventilation strategies; self-contained breathing apparatus use and firefighter survival skills; and forcible entry on inward and outward-swinging doors.
Additional features enhance the training experience, including anchors and stairways for high-angle rescue and rope operations; confined space props; fully functional sprinkler and standpipe systems; interior wall breach props and moveable partitions for diverse scenarios; and exterior lighting systems for night training.
“This isn’t just a training centre — it’s a proving ground,” Derby said. “It allows our firefighters to face realistic, evolving challenges in a controlled and safe environment so that when the alarm sounds, we are ready.”
A key benefit of the centre is how it brings all fire stations together to train side-by-side. “We may respond from different stations, but this facility reinforces that we are one department — one family — working together to serve and protect our communities.”
The first live fire sessions are planned for September and October, alongside specialized courses in confined space and rope rescue. The Rossland training centre is helping firefighters build the real-world skills necessary to meet today’s challenges safely, professionally, and united.
Photos below by Greg Nesteroff/Vista Radio
