Upgrades underway at Washington State Fire Training Academy
By EMMA HINCHLIFFE
A/E Editor
More than 10 years after planning began, upgrades are underway at the Washington State Fire Training Academy, located on a 51-acre site just east of North Bend, near Exit 38. Phase one of work will see the construction of two new burn building training props, which are used for live fire and other firefighter and emergency services training.
That phase broke ground in November 2022 following the successful receipt in 2020 of a special use permit to upgrade and redevelop the campus under a proposed six-phase masterplan by architect Rice Fergus Miller.
The burn buildings are intended to replicate a multi-family and a split-level single-family home. The multi-family building is three stories and 6,524 square feet. The single-family home is 3,675 square feet. They are both concrete low bearing structures and are divided into multiple rooms and spaces that allow trainees to conduct a wide range of live fire training scenarios. Each structure is a Class A burn building which means they can be used for controlled fires that are as close as you can get to a real emergency while remaining safe for the trainees, the site, and the surrounding environment.
The structures will mimic a three-story multi-family complex and a split-level single-family home.
General contractor for the burn buildings is Pease & Sons. The structures were designed by Elliott LeBoeuf McElwain. ELM is also the structural engineer. The burn buildings will replace an aging six-story burn tower dating back to 1983.
During a recent call about the project, Alan Spahr, construction project coordinator with the Washington State Patrol, which owns and operates the academy, said the new buildings will drastically improve training programs and capabilities considering their Class A status. Having two burn buildings at the site also means that more than one group can engage in live fire training at a time. Trainings can also be organized across the two structures.
The existing burn tower is set to be decommissioned for live fire training and will instead be used for other training exercises such as search and rescue and hose control. The new burn buildings are estimated to be completed and ready for live fire training this summer.
These structures are the first phase of the larger planned redevelopment, which RFM completed the masterplan for back in 2011. Subsequent phases, which will need funding to proceed, would include another burn tower, administration buildings and burn plots. “Our vision is to make this site the premier fire training academy and facility in the country,” Kelly Merz, assistant state fire marshal and commander of the fire training division at WSP, said during the call. “You can almost think of it as Disneyland for firefighters,” he said.
Merz and Spahr estimate that it could take around ten-to-15-years to fully realize the masterplan. It is hoped that capital funding will be provided for the project. “Firefighter and emergency services training is paramount for the safety of not only our service members but also the community,” Merz reflected on the importance of the redevelopment of the campus.
The Washington State Fire Training Academy opened in 1984. Around 5,000 firefighters have trained at the academy to date. Other emergency service organizations also commonly use the site for training. The campus includes classrooms, dormitories, several simulation centers, and training areas.
Rice Fergus Miller is known for its work designing fire stations and has also designed several fire training campuses. These include the City of Boise Fire Training Center. The firm is currently working on designs for a new training facility in Gig Harbor for Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One.
WSP is planning to hold a community open day and celebration when the new burn buildings are completed.
Emma Hinchliffe can be reached by email or by phone at (206) 622-8272.