Visit to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Learning and Development College - Wednesday, 9 April 2025
On 9 April 2025, as part of ongoing networking activities, members of the InToxFIRE team visited the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) Learning and Development College, accompanied by fellow researchers, staff, and postgraduate students from Ulster University. Located in Cookstown, Northern Ireland, this recently established centre is recognised as one of the most advanced fire and rescue training facilities in Europe.
The visit began with two informative sessions that included a warm welcome and presentations on firefighter training and rescue operations in a range of hazardous scenarios, including fires, floods, water rescues (both shallow and deep), and vehicle-related incidents. The group also explored how simulated fire events are used for training purposes and learned about decontamination protocols in emergency response.
One of the highlights of the sessions was a discussion on the 2018 Primark fire in Belfast city centre—one of the most significant fire incidents in the city’s modern history. The response to this event remains an exemplary case in firefighting and emergency management.
Following the presentations, participants toured several key areas of the training site. These included full-scale models of terraced and detached homes, a mock fire station, a “call-out village”, a mock large ferry, and simulated flood environments—each designed to provide highly realistic training conditions.
Simulating fire and smoke in an ordinary household kitchen to train required firefighting and rescue activities.
Beyond showcasing cutting-edge facilities, the visit offered valuable networking opportunities. The InToxFIRE team distributed brochures about the project and shared details of the upcoming first workshop, scheduled for 12 August 2025. These materials will also be made available to firefighters, trainers, and visitors at the college. Also, possibilities for different forms of research cooperation were discussed.
Dual carriageway hazards (left), the model properties (centre), and the call out village (right)
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Aidan Jennings, Paul Rogers, and the entire NIFRS team for their warm hospitality and for generously sharing their knowledge and experiences. Special thanks also go to Dr. Nigel McConnell and our colleagues at Ulster University for their continued support and collaboration.
Fire suits and PPE, utilized by the trainees in the NIFRS Learning and Development College
Stay tuned for more updates on the InToxFire project and future developments in fire protection research.
