NEWCRAIGHALL FIRE TRAINING FACILITY
Location: Newcraighall, Edinburgh
Client: Lothian & Borders Fire & Rescue Service
Programme: Completed 2012
This unique training facility provides safe but realistic training for the Fire and Rescue Service. The various facilities are laid out to allow their use in combination to simulate a broad range of emergencies.
The main building in the complex encloses a multi-level climbing frame for training in rope-work rescues, and incorporates a simulated tower crane. Bold colours are used to identify the different components.
Although the building is unheated, it allows training in all weather and tall roller shutters at each end of the building can be opened when the weather is good. The translucent cladding to one wall admits plenty of natural light and, at night, gives an intriguing view of the interior.
Outside, training takes place for search and rescue in collapsed buildings. Transmitters hidden in a pile of rubble provide practice in pin-pointing buried victims and a network of rubble-filled tunnels fitted with sacrificial panels is used for concrete cutting and rubble clearance. Propping and shoring of collapsed structures is simulated by a series of concrete walls and adjustable timber structures.
A sewer and manhole buried in the rubble pile provide training in rescues from confined spaces.
Open external spaces are used for training in road traffic collisions and major public decontamination exercises.