On Thursday, July 31, 2025, the Southeast Almaguin Fire Department officially opened a new containerized Class ‘A’ burn structure, live fire training centre, to the public.
The Southeast Almaguin Fire Department is comprised of five municipal fire departments: Perry Township, Burk’s Falls, Armour, Ryerson, Town of Kearney, McMurrich/Montieth, and Magnetawan. The initiative will serve as a training centre for all voluntary firefighters in the area.
With the closing of the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst after more than 70 years in existence on March 31, 2021, local fire chiefs were left with a serious gap in training capacity. The fire chiefs of the five municipalities in the Southeast Almaguin Fire Department proposed a joint venture, which was accepted by each municipal council, and included sharing the $149,000 cost to construct the facility.
Designed to provide National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) training 1001 level 1, the structure will provide real-time preparation opportunities for heat, smoke and flame training and experience, for trainees applying to be volunteer firefighters.
The two-storey structure comprises three forty-foot containers on a foundation, two on the bottom and one on the top, with interconnecting staircases. The units contain a 10-foot-long “burn” area for actual fire drills, allowing specific training in varied expectations for firefighter personnel. Firefighters are expected to complete two years of training for the level.
Training runs from December to April, consisting of two sessions per week and three additional training weekends. Firefighters are expected to have hands-on skill to climb ladders, perform search and rescue, practice firefighting survival, perform auto extrication, extinguish vehicle fires, fight flammable liquid fires, and extinguish structural fires.
The new Southeast Almaguin training facility, situated behind the Perry Township Firehall on Old Government Road, will provide trainees with fire scenarios in the burn house and rescue tower and other possible situational exercises.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
Great move, training is essential, continuous training like this will give the fire services a big boost. The closing of the fire college was a dumb move by the Ontario government, it put FF’s and the general public at risk. Have a safe day to all first responders!
Congratulations and good luck !!!