FAYETTEVILLE – Cumberland County Commissioners and the Fayetteville Technical Community College Board of Trustees have agreed to partner on developing a new regional center for firefighter and other emergency responder education and training.
The proposed FTCC Cumberland County Regional Fire and Rescue Training Center would be built on 30 acres of Country property in the Cumberland County Industrial Park, adjacent to the Sheriff’s Training Center and Animal Control Shelter, off Tom Starling Road on Corporation Drive.
The facility will support FTCC’s Public Service curriculum, which includes courses in emergency management, fire technology and fire training. A new facility would enable the college to add classes not currently offered, including fire investigation/arson certification, thermal image school, vehicle extrication school, high angle rescue technician and other types of fire and rescue special training.
The facility would include classrooms, live fire buildings, apparatus bays, technical rescue areas, and other specialized training grounds. In addition, the training center would partner with the Sheriff’s Office in using its driving track and possibly space for an outdoor shooting range.
Cumberland County is responsible for funding capital projects at the community college, and the center will provide additional training facilities for member departments of the Fire Chiefs’ Association and other emergency responders. The facilities will also potentially draw emergency responders from across the state and out-of-state with the unique training courses that will be offered.
“It is our responsibility to make sure we have the best trained, most qualified firefighters,” said Commissioner Jimmy Keefe.
“This project is a demonstration of collaboration by everyone involved for the purposes of serving and protecting the people of Cumberland County,” said Dr. Larry Keen, FTCC president.
The facility is projected to cost $18 million. FTCC plans to use $8 million the college was allocated from the Connect NC Bond. Cumberland County has included $10 million for the project in its Capital Investment Fund and will pursue grant and other funding to support the project.
A rendering depicts what the proposed FTCC Cumberland County Regional Fire and Rescue Training Center could look like. The facility would be built on 30 acres of County property in the Cumberland County Industrial Park and provide firefighter and other emergency responder education and training.