A FIRE Service College in Moreton-in-Marsh is reeking the rewards of a contract from the Defence Fire and Rescue Project.

Capita, who run the college hosted a turf-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction of new training facilities for Ministry of Defence (MOD) firefighters and personnel.

The £5m investment will play a key part in Capita’s 12-year Defence Fire and Rescue Project to manage and modernise the MOD's fire and rescue capability.

The facilities, being built by construction firm Beard, will enable the college to provide state-of-the-art firefighter training, such as aircraft rescue and fire fighting on several different simulated airframes, along with a wide range of other firefighting scenarios.

Other new facilities include an accommodation block for trainees and an additional fire station.

It is expected construction will conclude in autumn 2020, when the first cohort of MOD firefighters begin training at the college.

Capita’s contract with the MOD commenced in August 2019 and over the next 12 years Capita will invest in new technology, fire appliances and equipment to develop a modernised fire and rescue service that will also harness digital technology to reduce risk to the MOD’s firefighters, personnel and assets.

From 2021, approximately 1,700 military and civilian firefighters will be trained each year at the college or by instructors from the college at military bases around the UK.

Jason Clay, managing director for Capita Fire and Rescue, said: “This marks an exciting new chapter for the Fire Service College and the Ministry of Defence’s fire and rescue capability.

"Our £5m investment in state-of-the-art training and accommodation facilities at Moreton-in-Marsh is a key part of our 12-year contract to manage and modernise the Department’s fire service.

“Over the course of our multi-year transformation programme we will work with the Ministry of Defence to deliver an exciting range of technology-enabled modernisation initiatives that improve service capability and reduce risk to firefighters, Defence personnel and the critical assets they operate.”

Cotswold MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown attended the ceremony and said: “This is fantastic news for the fire college as it will see significant improvements, provide many much-needed jobs locally, and will see local builder Beard building a new accommodation block.

"I look forward to observing the progress of the contract and was honoured to be a part of the turf-cutting.”

Marc Bayley, regional director at Beard, said: “It is important that the college has the capacity and amenities to keep pace with demand.

"This is an important first stage in providing more accommodation and better training facilities.

"We are looking forward to marking other milestones along the way.”