Fire Protection Training Academy
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and Fire Protection Association
Australia (FPA Australia) will collaborate in the development of a
new state-of-the-art training centre for emergency services and the
fire protection industry.
Due to open its doors in the first half of 2020, the NSW
Training Centre of the Fire Protection Training Academy (Fire
Academy) will be located at the FRNSW Emergency Services Academy in
Orchard Hills in western Sydney.
Through the new facility, FPA Australia and FRNSW will deliver
world-class training in all aspects of fire protection. When
completed, the centre will be one of the most advanced facilities
dedicated to fire protection training in the world, with
custom-built training rooms as well as shared facilities with the
FRNSW Emergency Services Academy.
The new Fire Academy was announced in
Sydney on Friday 12 April.
L to R: FRNSW Acting Deputy Commissioner
Roger Mentha, FPA Australia President Bill Lea, FRNSW Commissioner
Paul Baxter, FPA Australia CEO Scott Williams, and FRNSW Chief
Superintendent Ken Murphy.
State-of-the-art
facilities
When completed, the Fire Academy's NSW Training Centre will be
one of the most advanced training facilities dedicated to fire
protection in the world. It features custom-built training and
assessment rooms as well as shared access with FRNSW Emergency
Services Academy facilities, giving the centre comprehensive,
hands-on training capacity spanning from design and installation
through to routine service and annual assessment. It will also
include access to a live fire training facility, providing students
with real-world fire protection experience.
The Fire Academy's NSW Training Centre will cover all sectors of
the industry, including passive fire protection, detection and
alarms, water-based and gaseous suppression, special hazards and
more.
Spread across the FRNSW academy complex, the training centre
will comprise of four themed training rooms dedicated to specific
fire protection systems and equipment.
Water Based Fire Suppression
Room
This room has been designed to enable trainees to learn all
aspects of fire suppression systems including fire sprinklers, fire
pumpsets and fire hydrant systems. Fully operational and
interactive, the room will enable multiple trainees to learn at the
same time and expose them to a broad range of fire sprinkler and
fire hydrant systems.
FRNSW firefighters will also utilise this room to further their
knowledge of the operation and function of fire suppressions
systems and provide a unique opportunity to simulate emergency
situations in a controlled environment.
Fire Detection, Warning &
Electrical Training Room
This room will provide trainees the opportunity to interact with
a wide variety of fire detection and alarms systems, warning
systems, emergency and exit lighting systems and a gaseous fire
suppression system.
Trainees will gain knowledge and experience and build
familiarity with a wide range of fire detection and warning
systems. This room will facilitate learning on correct processes
for conducting routine service as well as provide the skills and
knowledge to determine performance requirements and identifying
common faults and defects to support Fire Safety Assessors.
This room will provide FRNSW firefighters the ability to
simulate fire alarm activations for a variety of systems and teach
responding crews how to interpret information, utilise systems to
help manage emergencies and build confidence and awareness with
systems.
Passive Fire & Smoke
Containment Training Facility
Located within the FRNSW Academy's main warehouse facility, a
dedicated area has been established for the installation of passive
fire and smoke systems products and equipment.
Trainees will build familiarity and awareness with a wide range
of fire and smoke doors, fire shutters and fire stopping products.
This room will facilitate learning on correct processes for
conducting routine service as well as provide the skills and
knowledge to determine performance requirements and identifying
common faults and defects to support Fire Safety Assessors.
Trainees from both FRNSW and the fire protection industry will
be provided with skills and knowledge to conduct inspections and
locate defects and non-compliances for a variety of systems and
equipment installed to protect openings in fire protected
structures.
Special Hazards Training
Room
This room has been designed to enable trainees to become
familiar with a number of different types of special hazards fire
suppressions systems and to learn all aspects of conducting routine
service on these systems.
This is also an opportunity to showcase the latest technology
available to suppress fires in critical infrastructure and to
educate firefighters on how to interact with these systems when
responding to emergency call-outs.