Release date: 7 April 2022
The construction of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s new multi-million-pound fire station and training centre is underway.
West Sussex County Council’s appointed contractor, Willmott Dixon, began work at the site in Horsham last November. Big changes have already been made at the site off the A24 at Highwood Mill, with the foundations being laid and the steel structures starting to be put in place.
Representatives from West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and West Sussex County Council have visited the site to see the progress first-hand.
Speaking of his visit, Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Communities and Fire and Rescue, said: “I am thrilled to see this project taking shape and steady progress being made.
“At this stage of the development, you can really start to visualise what the final facility will look like, and I am confident that this asset is going to be a hugely beneficial for the fire service and subsequently the residents of West Sussex.”
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, added: “The state-of-the-art facilities at our new training centre and fire station represent a significant investment in our service, putting the continued development of our staff front and centre. At the core of the new training centre will be a number of realistic training environments, allowing our staff the opportunity to train and develop their skills to ensure they are fully prepared for the challenging environments they are likely to encounter during the course of their duty.
“This means that they are not only able to keep themselves safe, but also the residents in our communities that we are responsible for keeping safe from harm.
“I feel immensely proud to be Chief Fire Officer at such an exciting time for the service, and this project signifies a real improvement and modernisation in the way in which we work.”
The training centre will be the first of its type in the county and will allow firefighters to train in a wide range of realistic scenarios, such as live fire conditions, working from height and road traffic collisions. This will further enhance the skills and professionalism of our staff enabling them to continue serving the residents and communities of West Sussex.
Russell Miller, Director at Willmott Dixon, said: “It’s been great to see the project begin to come to life and we are delighted that West Sussex County Council and West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service are happy with the progress so far. We strive to deliver on our customer’s vision and are looking forward to providing a fantastic fire station and training centre for the team.”
