Release date: 23 June 2023
West Sussex’s brand new Training Centre and Fire Station for Horsham took centre stage last night as members of West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet were given an advance tour of the site ahead of it becoming operational.
The county council’s cabinet were joined at the visit on Thursday evening by members of the Fire and Rescue Service Scrutiny Committee as well as the local county councillors for Horsham for a tour of the brand new facility.
During the visit councillors learned about some of the industry-leading technology at the heart of the new centre and its green credentials that allow it be a carbon neutral site.
The new site combines a multi-use training centre and 24/7 response fire station for Horsham and the surrounding area. Firefighters from the existing fire station at Hurst Road will move to the new site from the middle of next month.
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.
Leader of West Sussex County Council, Paul Marshall, said: “This new training centre and fire station represents a significant investment from West Sussex County Council in our fire and rescue service to ensure we provide our staff with industry-leading facilities to ensure they are equipped to respond to emergency situations swiftly and safely.
“I am proud to say that sustainability is at the heart of the project, and we have placed a strong emphasis on the use of the latest technology and renewable energy sources to minimise our environmental footprint. The whole site will be carbon neutral, which supports the county council’s drive to become carbon neutral by 2030.
“This is a significant step forward for our fire service that will allow us to deliver for the whole of West Sussex.”
The site features solar panels and electric vehicle charging points, as well as air source heat pumps which provide heating.
Chief Fire Officer Sabrina Cohen-Hatton said: “I am really proud that West Sussex County Council has delivered this industry-leading training facility and fire station for our service. The new facility utilises the very best in latest technology, both for our firefighters who will be based in our new fire station, and all our staff who will benefit from our new training centre.
“This will allow us to deliver true-to-life training environments to ensure our staff are fully prepared for emergency situations when they arise – keeping the people living in our communities in West Sussex safe from harm.
“The fire and rescue sector is always evolving and adopting best new practice. This new training centre and fire station represents a significant step forward and puts West Sussex at the very forefront.”