The new training facility at the Agassiz Fire Department recently saw seven fire departments across B.C. gather for a special session. 

Firefighters from Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Pemberton, Popkum, Port McNeil and Trail came together in Agassiz for International Society of Fire Service Instructor (ISFSI) live fire instructor training. This is among the first major training exercises at the facility that was opened earlier this year. 

The regional training facility in Agassiz was officially opened on Oct. 5. Constructed by Container West in Delta, the three-storey modular structure was built to model a number of possible fire scenarios firefighters may encounter. The training props are fuelled with natural gas, and the interior could reach temperatures as hot as 800 C. Some of the props firefighters would encounter include a grill, a dumpster, a garage and a commercial kitchen. 

The new facility was built to the tune of $800,000. Of this cost, $395,000 came to the District of Kent through an investment from the Fire Chief's Association, a provincial organization that invested nearly $2 million in firefighter training across B.C.