October has been a busy month at the training center site and the structures are beginning to take recognizable shape. Some of the accomplishments this month include the foundation being poured for both structures. The FAST building structure is erect and the DePriest prop has been sited and flatwork has been poured. We also received delivery of some of the portable props and a donation of precast pipe for confined space training. Finally, we began choosing paint colors for the buildings and enlisted the help of our Community Liaison Specialist, Hyla Ridenour to make some of the selections.

Construction on the training center is rapidly progressing! The transformation of the site can be seen on a daily basis.
Division Chief Brian Burright inspects the structural beams already set in place.

On Friday of each week, members of Columbia River Fire and Rescue meet with the engineer/contractor, WRG Fire Training Simulation Systems, Inc., to review the facility design and progress on the project.

More photographs from the groundbreaking ceremony.

Welcome to our Lee Broadbent Training Center blog. We will update this site as construction progresses. The live-fire training facility is a long-time dream of Columbia River Fire and Rescue's Board of Directors President, Lee Broadbent, who is a retired Division Chief from the District.
Groundbreaking for the center took place on September 8, 2006 at our training grounds on McNulty Way in St. Helens, OR. Construction has begun and completion of the project is expected in the fall of 2007. WRG Fire Training Simulation Systems, Inc is the contractor for the facility. The training center will allow emergency responders to simulate realistic scenarios while learning in a safe and controllable environment.