On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., the ceremonial opening of the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) practical training ground will take place at Krustpils Street 10, Riga. At the modern, multifunctional and specialized training ground, future and existing firefighters and rescuers, as well as employees of other operational services, will learn and improve the professional skills necessary for extinguishing fires, rescuing people and eliminating the consequences of accidents in various threats. The training ground was created through the implementation of two projects of the European Union Internal Security Fund.
As the Deputy Chief of the Fire and Rescue Service, Colonel Jānis Grīnbergs, emphasizes: “The training ground is an old and long-cherished idea of the Fire and Rescue Service to raise practical training to a new level. Until now, we were one of the few countries that did not have its own practical training ground for firefighting and rescue operations. From now on, firefighters and rescuers will be able to develop practical skills in extinguishing various types of fires in the tactical house, while several types of labyrinths will allow them to test their abilities in overcoming narrow spaces and obstacles in an opaque environment. The train tanker parked here will allow for the elimination of various types of leaks on the railway. A small but very challenging track will improve drivers' skills in driving a fire tanker. And that's not all, the training ground will offer very extensive training opportunities in such events that firefighters and rescuers encounter every day.”
The construction of the landfill was implemented within the framework of two projects. The first step was taken already in 2019, launching the project “Creation of a CBRNE and Man-Made Disaster Rescue Training Ground”, which was financed from the Internal Security Fund 2014–2021 program. As part of the project, a construction project was developed, an extensive procurement procedure was carried out and construction began at Krustpils Street 10, as well as essential equipment was purchased. The second stage of development began in 2024, continuing the work on arranging and equipping the landfill with the support of the Internal Security Fund 2021–2027 program. The landfill was created together with the State Security Agency of the Ministry of the Interior. The total funding of both projects is: EUR 5,733,567, of which 75% is co-financed by the European Union.