June 1, 2007
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s new Technical Rescue Training Centre has been declared open by the county’s Lord Lieutenant, Dr Ingrid Roscoe.
The £2.2 million complex at the fire and rescue service’s Birkenshaw headquarters features a covered training area for practising vehicle extrication techniques, rescues from confined spaces and line rescues. It has lecture rooms, staff rooms, a gym and changing facilities and it also provides accommodation for the personnel development team, formerly located off-site.
Chief Fire Officer Phil Toase welcomed Dr Roscoe to the centre and praised the hard work and professionalism of the trainers who are based there. He said the development would allow the brigade to be far better equipped to meet the increasing demands it faced in these changing times.
He said: “It is thanks to the people in this building and the instructors that we are able to provide firefighters with the right skills and expertise to be able to deal with any type of incident.
“I thank everyone who has been involved in its construction and its planning. But thanks also to the people who will work within this building and all the firefighters who have all the skills needed to deliver a first class service not only in West Yorkshire, but potentially throughout the country.”
Dr Roscoe told guests each time she had visited the headquarters she had been warmly welcomed. She said: “I have tremendous respect for you as a profession and I am delighted to be back here.
“Mr Toase said the provision of a new facility would help West Yorkshire firefighters have the best training and provide the best possible service. Here in West Yorkshire you jolly well do that. Thank you for having me.”
The formalities of the opening ceremony were followed by a tour around the new complex.
The new three-storey building is in a prominent position by the Whitehall Road/Bradford Road junction. It has a steel-frame and was built with a mixture of brick and pre-finished metal cladding. It has pitched roofs and was designed with disabled users in mind.
As part of the project, the outdated fire-smoke house and adjacent garages were demolished and a new tower provided to improve lighting on the drill square.
Dr Roscoe lives in Wetherby and is a well-known authority on British sculpture. She became the first lady Lord Lieutenant in the north of England in 2004. She is High Steward of Selby Abbey and is a trustee of York Minster.
OR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT KELLY THORNHAM IN THE MEDIA AND PR UNIT ON 01274 655807.
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