From reports

The City of Columbia City has announced the completion of their new Fire Training Facility.

The newly completed structure is located at 425 S. Whitley Street and will be used for training exercises to advance the department’s skills and abilities.

“This training facility allows us to provide real life scenarios under controlled conditions to our firefighters,” said Columbia City Fire Chief Tom LaRue. “Having this opportunity in our community helps to ensure the safety of our firefighters and the people we serve.”

The Facility consists of recycled shipping containers which were outfitted to fit the needs of the department. The facility has forcible entry doors, two burn rooms, and specific openings to control air
flow paths. City firefighters assembled the unit, which saved over half of the construction costs, with
additional labor provided by the Street and Water department. The total cost to construct the facility
was $120,000.

Mayor Ryan Daniel stated, “This investment is crucial to the advancement of our Firefighters technical abilities. I am proud of the hard work by so many of our staff and elected officials to bring this facility to our community.”

A short dedication ceremony will occur on December 28, 2021, at 3:30 p.m. An open house will follow the
ceremony until 5 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.