09 Jun 2014
London Mayor Boris Johnson is set to open a new training centre for firefighters in the capital which it is hoped will save tens of millions of pounds.
The new facility at Beckton is replacing the Southwark operation, which has been training firefighters since 1878. A second new training centre, to be based at Park Royal, will be opened later in the year.
Private firm Babcock is taking over the training operations, an outsourcing move which the brigade says will help save £66 million.
Mr Johnson hailed the new Beckton site as “gold standard” and said that it would help to deliver a world-class fire service for Londoners. He added that the facilities at Beckton would help firefighters carry out the duties required in a “growing 21st century city”.
Ron Dobson, the Fire Commissioner for London, said that the decision to outsource the training had “radically improved” the standard of facilities.
The new training centre is part of a multi-million pound modernisation programme.
Copyright Press Association 2014