In the spring of 2007 the High Prairie Volunteer Fire Department decided to try and raise funds to build a training center. We were just frustrated with having to go out of town for training and paying to use someone else’s equipment. We could only take half of the crew at a time because we had to have personnel available to cover in case of emergencies.

We started doing fund raisers of every imaginable sort, everything from running bars at functions to BBQs, Bingos, Rallies, boot drives, car washes and begging for donations. Miraculously ATCO offered to support us by donating $50,000.00 in 2008. This was enough for us to get started with the project.

We started by getting the ground work done the first year (2008). In the spring of 2009 we did landscaping and site preparations then purchased 5 metal sea cans which were set up by the use of picker trucks from a local trucking business. Most all of the stairways and railings for the stairs were built by industrial arts students from our local EW Pratt high school.  Some volunteer labour from local welding businesses was used to weld the cans and stairways together and the rest of the countless hours of labour was from our own volunteers.

In the spring of 2010 we poured two slabs of cement. One was for the classroom / storage building the other was for the Vehicle Extrication pad. We then purchased a building package from Home Hardware and with all volunteer help from our firefighters we set up the building.

As well we now have capabilities to simulate live propane fires and fuel valve shut off in live fire situations with a propane tree. We will be building other propane fired scenarios as well as a vehicle fire scenario capable of fires in different areas of the vehicle.

High Prairie Fire is anticipating opening of this facility in the spring of 2011. After a few minor projects we will be ready to start using the facility.  It will be available to all the neighbouring departments if they wish to use it. We will also have a pumper truck which will be available for use out at the site so any department that wishes to use the site will not have to bring their own truck.

In phase four of this project we intend to build confined spaces training facilities. Trench rescue, downed power line situations and be capable of live fuel fire evolutions.