PHOTO BY DONNA CAMPBELL Fire Chief Jeff Ainsworth, far left, and other firefighters help place large containers this week in the construction of a hands-on training facility on North First Street.

The Brookhaven Fire Department has moved another step closer to completing its training facilities, and expects to be able to use them by mid-July.

On Thursday, Chief Jeff Ainsworth and firefighters at Station 2 directed the crane placement of four metal storage containers for use in hands-on training. Stacked into a three-story structure, the facility will be used for search-and-rescue and rope rescue training. 

An existing burn trailer — used for live-fire training — will be relocated from Central Station on Brookhaven Street to Station 2, at 223 North First St. When Station 2 was built in 2020, a classroom was included for training in the building. 

“The Fire Rating Bureau requires hands-on training,” Ainsworth said. “We have the classroom, but we needed somewhere to put those skills to use.”

Having both the burn trailer and rescue structure at the same location as the classroom will aid firefighters in keeping up-to-date on the ongoing training required to do their jobs well, stay at or above required training levels, and keep insurance rates low — maybe even drive them lower.

“We’ve been working on this for three years,” the chief said. “The majority of the money came from insurance rebates, and the rest came from our budget.”

The department has upgraded 20 sets of outdated turnouts — the protective gear worn by firefighters — and upgraded air packs. In 2024, the concrete pad, water lines and hydrants were added behind the station for the training facility. 

Training Captain Marlon Dixon has been with BFD for 10 years and is responsible for all department training — getting new hires ready for the Mississippi Fire Academy, and keeping current firefighters in shape and prepared.

“We’re working on the training facility pretty much non-stop,” said Ainsworth. “We’ll probably have it ready for regular training use in about three weeks.”