Explore the £21 million West Sussex fire station which has attracted attention from Hong Kong

Tap to watch a video report by ITV News Meridian's James Dunham

It's not even officially opened yet but already there's been interest from fire services not just in the UK but as far as Hong Kong.

At a cost of £21 million, the first ever training centre of its kind is bound to attract some attention for West Sussex Fire and Rescue service who are describing the facility as first class.

With the ability to simulate rescue and medical situations, road traffic accidents and major incidents the centre in Horsham is designed to immerse crew in real life scenarios.

The training will not just be for new recruits but for existing staff too, says Rod Gates who is in charge of the centre.

"What we get from this centre is firstly a fire station which will be served 24/7. The bolt on to that is this first class training centre.

"That will allow us to train our firefighters on a range of very new techniques as and when things change nationally.

"We will have a centre here that can change with those national recommendations so that we can then bring firefighting to a very new level in West Sussex and ensure that our firefighters are trained to the highest quality, which will then in turn support our local communities in all aspects of incidents that may occur."

The showcase part of the development beside the A24 is the live fire simulator with the innovative green technology, marvelled by other forces.

Smoke generated for use in the facility is being re-burnt and emitted back into the environment as clean air, a measure of the building's carbon neutral credentials.

The site features solar panels and electric vehicle charging points, as well as air source heat pumps which provide heating.

With 16 on-site bedrooms, specialist decontamination rooms and divided showers and locker rooms, the training centre has been built with firefighter health, safety and wellbeing in mind.

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.”

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."

The new fire station will officially open in July.

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