HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Washington County has taken a major step toward enhancing firefighter and emergency responder training. The Board of County Commissioners has awarded a $350,596.30 contract to Rockwell Construction Co., Inc. of Mercersburg, Pa. for the concrete foundation of the county’s long-awaited Fire Training Burn Building. Rockwell was selected as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the project.
The foundation work is a critical milestone in the development of the Public Safety Training Center’s tactical village, located at 18350 Public Safety Place. Designed as a cutting-edge facility, the tactical village will include training props, structures, and simulation environments to mimic real-life conditions faced by police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel.
The centerpiece of this phase will be the steel-frame burn building and fire training tower, which was presented to commissioners earlier this year on April 15. Scheduled for delivery this fall, the burn building will be installed once the foundation is complete.
According to the county’s contract terms, Rockwell Construction must complete the foundation within 60 consecutive calendar days, with work expected to begin in late September. The aggressive timeline ensures the burn building can be placed before the end of the year, keeping the overall training center project on schedule.
Additional site work will follow, including paving of the apparatus operator and defensive driving area, which will be advertised as a separate contract later in 2025. These features will provide firefighters and emergency personnel with spaces to practice vehicle operations in challenging conditions.
The foundation project is funded through the Burn Building – PSTC Training Center budget (BLD107), part of the county’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Officials said the burn building is one of the most significant investments in public safety infrastructure in recent years, providing a permanent, realistic training environment that will reduce reliance on outside facilities.
Once completed, the burn building will give Washington County’s fire and EMS professionals the ability to train in live fire scenarios within a controlled, safe environment. The tower will allow crews to practice rescues, fire suppression, search and recovery, and incident command in conditions that closely replicate real emergencies.
The tactical village as a whole is expected to benefit not just Washington County agencies but also departments across the region, as nearby jurisdictions may be able to use the facilities for joint exercises and mutual aid training.
Officials emphasized the broader impact of the project, noting that modernized training facilities help improve readiness, reduce risks, and strengthen community safety.
Originally reported by Staff Report in Tri-State Alert, The Local News Authority.
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