![](https://emergencyservicestimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ESS-Button-resized.png")
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has broken ground on its new firefighter training facility in Ashford.
The £10.7m development will see the creation of a real fire training facility (RFTF), providing Kent fire crews with an advanced and realistic high-rise environment to enhance their firefighting skills within complex buildings. The current facility will also be remodelled during the project and will remain fully operational throughout
Representatives from KFRS, and main contractor Morgan Sindall Construction’s Southern Home Counties business came together on 4 March for a groundbreaking ceremony. The ceremonial groundbreaking was carried out by Ann Millington, Chief Executive of KFRS, with KMFRA Chairman Cllr Nick Chard, KFRS Director Jon Quinn, and Morgan Sindall Area Director Guy Hannell in attendance.
The RFTF will be built at the site of the existing fire station in the Henwood area of Ashford. Once complete, the high-tech training centre will simulate realistic scenarios with flame and smoke, providing crews with valuable experience, knowledge and skills.
The new, four-storey, class A training facility will be constructed using a reinforced concrete frame and with a block work and brick façade. Inside, there will be three carbonaceous burn rooms, and the layout will allow for a wide variety of training scenarios, including a floor with artificial smoke training capabilities. A specialised part of the building will also enable Kent firefighters to prepare for confined space rescues.
The nature of the structure, which must withstand fire and smoke, means a number of design and construction challenges have been considered. Static sensors will be installed to record the temperatures the structure has been exposed to. Thanks to these design features, the building will be able to accommodate carbonaceous fires, which generate more realistic levels of heat and smoke compared to LPG fires.
To manage the smoke created during the burns, an extensive smoke extraction and filtration system will be installed. Ducts above windows and doors will capture the smoke and process it through a water-based onsite filtration plant, emitting the smoke as clean steam. This system is vital to both minimise carbon emissions and to protect the local population and environment.
Externally, a gantry will run around the building’s sides to replicate high-rise buildings and there will be a five-storey training tower to facilitate dummy training and bariatric rescues.
Sustainability will be a key focus for KFRS and Morgan Sindall throughout the project. The tier one contractor has leveraged its Intelligent Solutions approach to explore how to make the development as sustainable as possible. This has seen Morgan Sindall utilise its digital carbon reduction tool Carbonica to analyse the design and build process and it will implement its 10 Tonne Challenge to minimise carbon emissions during construction.
The project’s key sustainability features include an above ground attenuation tank to store rain and water used during training, allowing it to be reused while protecting the area’s aquifers and drainage systems. The sustainability strategy will also see electric vehicle charging points installed and a memorial welfare garden will be created that supports local flora and fauna, with native species planted and habitats for birds and bats.
The 24/7 nature of the site and KFRS’s work means the Morgan Sindall team will have to minimise any inconvenience to the service’s operations. The project team have planned construction activity and deliveries to ensure there is no disruption during the building work.
“We are looking forward to working with Morgan Sindall to develop a cutting-edge training facility at our fire station in Ashford, which will enhance the skill of our firefighters when they need to respond to complex fires. The new station will provide our crews with hyper-realistic exercises to ensure our crews are prepared and able to excel in an emergency.”
Ann Millington, Chief Executive at KFRS.
To read similar articles, check out our People & Skills channel
