---

Training Division - Fire-Rescue Training Center

The City of Miami Fire-Rescue Training Center is located on a 4.5 acre tract that shares public access to a pair of community tennis and basketball courts. This site and structure was previously (1950’s) utilized by the City as a trash burning incinerator. The incinerator activity was shut down (1960) to comply with EPA standards and neighboring communities requests for cleaner air. The site was vacant until 1978 when the Department of Fire-Rescue sought to redevelop it as a new Fire-Rescue Training Facility to replace the previously used smaller site built by the City and the Civilian Conversation Corps (CCC) of the 1930’s.

A successful bond issue supported by the citizens of Miami in 1977 secured the funding to completely renovate and construct a multi-floor, multi-use facility within the 108 foot tall structure. The resulting building has 6 working floor areas, two of which are nearly 30 feet in height. The base load bearing walls of the structure boast being nearly 30 inches thick, supporting columns and beams are 24 x 18 inches and reinforced with railroad track type steel members. The interior space (over 15,000 sq. ft.) was created to provide a unique array spaces for four administrative personnel, 8 instructors and 6 permanent staff member offices.

There is a 70 seat auditorium (coverts to an area for 40 students at tables), four 30 - person classrooms, and 3 firefighter suppression and search & rescue skills training rooms (one wet and 2 dry) are within the structure. The 6th floor (top) houses a fully equipped gymnasium including: 24 Nautilus fitness machines, two incline step machines, exercise bikes, a cardio-climber and three complete free weight work stations. A locker room and shower facilities for 12 gentlemen and four ladies is also on this level (6th floor). Another locker/shower area on a lower floor (2nd) is also closer to the candidate firefighter lounge area. An elevator serves all six floors.

Additionally, the first floor (grade level) has two (65 foot long) apparatus rooms housing two Class A pumpers and 20% of the deployment ready equipment for the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department sponsored FEMA/Urban Search And Rescue (USAR) Florida Task Force 2 (FL-TF-2). The west side of the structure is designed to accommodate multiple ground or aerial ladder and rope or rappelling drill and skill development. Also available at the “live” drill area are hose line and fire stream training “barrel-on-cable” and three hydrants allow for laying hose line(s) “in or out” to several standpipe or sprinkler system connections.

Candidate Firefighter (75,000 hours per year in 1998-2000) and In-Service (veteran) Firefighter and EMS (EMT and Paramedic) Training Programs (nearly 85,000 hours each year ) are conducted or coordinated at and are the responsibility of the dedicated personnel assigned to our Training Center.