Cumberland County breaks ground on new firefighter training center

Cumberland County is about to get a state-of-the-art regional Fire and Rescue Training Center. A ground-breaking was held Monday for the $20 million facility to be built in county's industrial park.

Posted 9:48 p.m. Oct 21, 2019 — Updated 10:12 p.m. Oct 21, 2019

Gilbert Baez

, WRAL Fayetteville reporter

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Cumberland County is about to get a state-of-the-art regional Fire and Rescue Training Center. A groundbreaking was held Monday for the $20 million facility to be built in county's industrial park. Two dozen Cumberland County leaders – firefighters and members of Fayetteville Technical Community College – celebrated the investment in a place where first responders will learn how to save lives.

The training center is going to be built on 30 acres donated by the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. The main administrative and classroom building will have three bays to house firefighting equipment.

Ken Buckey, of Fayetteville Tech's public safety department, said, "This site will also house the rescue training, which includes high- and low-angle as well as urban rescue training. Across the street, there's another site which is about 15 acres, which will house our live fire burn village."

Cumberland County firemen and rescue teams currently have to venture out of the county and sometimes out of state to get the most up-to-date training they need. The center will enable Fayetteville Tech to add new classes and to add more training for existing firefighters.

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