PROJECT PROFILE
NI FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT COLLEGE, COOKSTOWN
FELIX O’HARE HAS DELIVERED A NEW LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT COLLEGE FEATURING MANY INNOVATIVE, UNIQUE ELEMENTS TO OFFER REALISTIC EMERGENCY SERVICE TRAINING… NI FIRE & RESCUE INVESTS £50M IN KEEPING COMMUNITIES SAFE
A new Learning & Development College offering one-of-a-kind facilities on the island of Ireland has been constructed in Cookstown for the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS). Representing a unique and interesting project for main contractor Felix O’Hare & Co Ltd, the facility offers emergency service training aimed at equipping NIFRS, its partner agencies and wider public services with the skills and training necessary to keep communities safe. The largest-ever investment undertaken by NIFRS, the centre of excellence will be used by the emergency services to
train in realistic scenarios recreating the hazards they face in operational call outs within a safe, controlled environment. A first phase of the investment saw a Tactical Firefighting Facility, Training Support Building and road infrastructure completed in 2019. Felix O’Hare was appointed through competitive tender with Early Contractor Involvement to develop the preconstruction information for the second phase over Quarter 1 2022, with works onsite commencing in April 2023 and the facility handing over in October 2024. A design-and-build project, Felix
O’Hare led an Integrated Supply Team through technical design stages from build control approval though to construction and completion, including RPP Architects, Dornan Consulting (civil and structural) and Semple McKillop (mechanical and electrical). Its remit included site clearance, groundworks, associated services and drainage, and facility construction, with emphasis placed on retention of existing hedgerows and woodland to maintain the character and biodiversity of the landscape while helping screen and enclose training areas. Included in its works were the main
“It really is a one-of-a-kind building, and it was an honour to work on it.”
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