Laconia Fire's new training center will simulate real-world scenarios

LACONIA — The Laconia Fire Department will have a new training center come fall, where first responders can practice realistic scenarios in a simulated environment, created by connecting storage containers.

Fire Chief Tim Joubert has had ideas for the center for about two years, and said he’s been in talks with leaders in the Laconia Water Department about using a section of the property.

“We just met this week with the water department, to go over a rough draft for layouts and designs, and we’re hoping that by next week we will have containers delivered,” Joubert said.

The center will be made from four 40-foot shipping container boxes, and an additional 20-footer, with holes cut into the sides so they can connect, creating a structure for realistic training. All said and done, the structure will be about 1,500 square feet, and will be weather-tight.

“What we will do is try to make it like a house,” Joubert said. “On the inside of the boxes will be individual rooms, a second floor, a staircase, a roof. Anything that a house will have — except for electricity and running water — to make it as realistic as possible.”

Joubert said a kitchen, living room, bedrooms and other parts of a typical house will be included, as well. One section will include a designated “burn room,” where fires can be lit with materials like wood pallets.

“In this building, we can do search-and-rescues, hose line advancements, ventilation training, engine company and ladder truck operations — all without interrupting anyone, and still being available to go to calls,” Joubert said.

This training center is the first of its kind in Laconia, but there are similar buildings in the Lakes Region, including one in Gilford, behind the transfer station. Joubert is the former deputy chief of Tilton-Northfield Fire and EMS, where he helped the creation of a training facility at their station.

Joubert said configurations of these types of facilities are all different, and to learn how to create a blueprint specific to Laconia, firefighter and paramedic Tim Griswold was sent to a class, in Indiana, about a month ago. Joubert called Griswold a “training enthusiast,” and said if there is a class, he is always there to take it.

“He is super dedicated,” Joubert said. “It was a no-brainer for him to go to that class. He was able to bring back the information for a definitive design and layout.”

The center will be located at the back of the Laconia Water Department property on Stark Street, next to a storage building, in what is now open asphalt. Joubert said he's been in talks with the city for about two years, about making it a reality, and it is especially beneficial to a department where a majority of employees have four years or fewer of experience.

“We want to work on muscle memory and keeping their skills fresh,” Joubert said. “Having the opportunity to work together as a shift is rare, so this will allow us to do that more.”

The fire department will have training schedules built-in to use the center, and the goal is to have each shift go and train one day a week for about six hours with live fire. There will also be other trainings there on a regular basis.

“We want to make sure our people are prepared to do the job,” Joubert said.

A key part about the training space is it will allow city police to train alongside firefighters, which will be beneficial, as they often are working together in emergencies. Since Laconia Fire is part of the Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid Association, the building will also be available to other surrounding departments, as a regional resource.

“We are really excited to have this in Laconia,” Joubert said.

Joubert said the department has a great working relationship with the water department, and they have done training in that area in the past. Once they designated a location, they began working to create a footprint to map out the design, and determine costs. Since there is nothing budgeted for the training center, Joubert said the $50,000 build will be funded by donations, and potential grants.

Recently, Bank of New Hampshire gave $10,000 toward the cause, and the fire department received funds donated through the Peter Makris Memorial Ride and a fundraiser at The Looney Bin Bar & Grill. Joubert said there are more funds to be raised, but they are about three-quarters of the way there.

Joubert said buying the containers is much like shopping for a new car, and they have been scouting out the best deals. He hopes to purchase the containers next week, and the department will need to coordinate with a crane operator to set them up.

“From there, it is outfitting and working on the layout inside of the structure,” Joubert said.

Having the center in Laconia, in a spot located between The Weirs and downtown stations, makes it ideal for firefighters, instead of taking the trip to Gilford or Tilton.

“We can utilize theirs, but it is far enough away,” Joubert said. “This is really the best location possible.”