Emergency services personnel will have access to a new world-class training facility with the launch of Fire and Rescue’s Practical Learning Environment in Western Sydney.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new $19 million training facility is designed to challenge the skills of first responders to ensure they are best prepared to help the community in the event of an emergency.
“The safety of the people of NSW is our number one priority and this new training facility will help prepare our emergency services for all scenarios,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Access to state-of-the-art props and resources is essential to improving the hands-on training of all first responders.”
The Practical Learning Environment consists of an urban search and rescue scene with an underground train tunnel, a service station prop, a five-storey tower that consists of a variety of fire and rescue scenarios as well as a live fire facility.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the new training environment would not only assist emergency services personnel but the people of NSW as well.
“Our emergency services personnel put their lives on the line every day to keep our community safe,” Mr Elliott said.
“All emergency services agencies will have shared access to the Practical Learning Environment, and by leading this adaptive training space we are building the best fire and rescue agency to protect the residents of NSW.”
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Paul Baxter said each prop was specifically designed to enhance capabilities from fire and rescue to natural disaster and humanitarian relief.
“Our academy is a world-class resource that will ensure our first responders have access to life-saving practical training,” Commissioner Baxter said.
“Within each prop there are real life scenarios from hazardous materials spills, to road crash rescues and factory fires which will test the skills and knowledge of our firefighters.”
The next phase of the project will see the construction of a residential home, a streetscape and a train station scenario with a railway track and platform for rescue demonstrations.
