Fayetteville Technical Community College on Wednesday marked the completion of construction at a fire and emergency training center, a multi-year project leaders described as a $46 million investment in training emergency responders across Cumberland County and eastern North Carolina.
The ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting at the Dr. J. Larry Keen Regional Fire and Emergency Training Complex, followed by live demonstrations at several training stations across the complex, including the Burn Pit, Fire Tower, and Residential Home Evacuation Prop.
Firefighters also demonstrated post-rescue lifesaving techniques, showing how first responders are trained to provide emergency medical care after pulling a victim from a fire.
The fire and emergency training complex on Tom Starling Road was built in multiple phases over several years. Earlier phases included the opening of a 24,000-square-foot fire and rescue training building and a Swiftwater Rescue Training Facility, while the final phase added live-burn and rescue infrastructure, including an aircraft burn simulator, fire investigation huts, and expanded training areas.
The complex strengthens firefighter training and enhances public safety through regional collaboration, according to Chief Freddie Johnson, president of the Cumberland County Fire Chiefs Association.
“This facility boosts the readiness of our first responders,” Johnson said. “It’s going to put us on the map.”
Mark Sorrells, president of FTCC, said the project was built through collaboration among state, county, and institutional partners.
The $46 million investment was a combination of state construction infrastructure support, a 30-acre land donation, a $10 million contribution from Cumberland County, and institutional funds from the college, he said.
“This is a project that was built on vision, collaboration, and a shared commitment to strengthening the safety and resilience of our community,” Sorrells said, adding that the completed facility significantly expands the college’s training capabilities across Cumberland County and eastern North Carolina.
Cumberland County Commission Chair Kirk deViere said the investment positions the complex as a regional training hub serving communities beyond Cumberland County.
“This investment wasn’t just critical for training our first responders locally,” deViere said. “It created a regional training hub that serves communities far beyond Cumberland County.”
Former Cumberland County Commission Chair Glenn Adams said the facility’s impact is already being felt, pointing to recent emergency responses in western North Carolina that required firefighters from across the state.
“I always remember what Commissioner Keith says—we are never judged by the disaster, but by the response we give when and after it happens,” Adams said. “As those firefighters and first responders were in western North Carolina, they were trained right here at FTCC.”
Sorrells said the completion of the project reflects FTCC’s long-term commitment to public safety and workforce training.
“This facility represents a commitment to the men and women who run toward danger when others run away,” Sorrells said. “They deserve the best training, the best tools, and the best preparation we can provide.”
Education reporter Dasia Williams can be reached at dwilliams@cityviewnc.com.