Melbourne’s Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) has appointed Leighton Contractors as the managing contractor for the construction of its new $109 million firefighter training facility in the city’s north.

 

The Future of Learning and Development (FOLD) project will serve as a multi-agency State asset that all emergency services will be able to access for future training needs.

 

Leighton has been awarded a $70 million contract to deliver a range of emergency response and management learning environment designed and built specifically to meet the MFB’s requirements. These will include standard classroom training facilities as well as purpose-built structures and simulated environments to support fire, marine, specialist rescue, safety and other forms of practical emergency management training.

 

"In addition to classroom learning facilities, this new training centre will feature simulated learning scenarios that are unique to Melbourne including train and tram infrastructure, marine settings and retail shopping environments," State Minister for Emergency Services Peter Ryan said.

 

Construction on the new MFB training facility is scheduled to start in coming months with the centre set to be operational in late 2014.