CIOB Awards 2025: Client

The new Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Training and Development Academy in Aintree will be used to help fire and rescue teams up and down the country prepare for emerging risks.

The state-of-the-art development houses a four-bay operational fire station, the National Resilience Centre of Excellence, and canine training facilities. The academy’s eight skills zones include both real-life and immersive fire‑fighting training simulations.

‘Good enough is never good enough’ is the mindset for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority that drives quality and continual gains. As a client its fostering of design, and construction creativity, has helped deliver out-of-the-box solutions such as installing precast ramps and leading edges to create collapsed buildings for firefighter training.

Where the safe construction of intentionally dangerous structures for training purposes proved impossible, it found digital specialists to collaborate in building virtual reality rooms. Along with its support for co-developed solutions, design and component standardisation, and a long-term building partnership with Wates, this client brings a totally professional approach.

Chief fire officer Phil Garrigan said: “We must train for potential risks from marine incidents, wildfires, flooding, large waste fires and terrorist related incidents but also for localised risks in Merseyside with our extensive coastline, shipping and docks, airport, busy road and rail networks, tunnels and heritage sites.”

The 4.85 hectare site will employ more than 40 training staff and 60 operational staff and has a suite of practical skills classrooms. The eight training zones will include scenarios such as: a six-storey high-rise building; a row of three terraced houses; a motorway scene; a hazardous materials training rig; an urban search and rescue zone; an overground and underground rail scenario; specialist vehicle garages; as well as a high-volume pump (HVP) training area.

The new academy will also host the National Resilience Assurance Team (NRAT), the UK International Search and Rescue team (UKISAR), and secondary fire control. It has been built with sustainability in mind, supporting net zero targets, with 23 electric vehicle charging points and improved biodiversity, and over 150 mature trees have been planted.