The live-fire training facility tucked into the northwest corner of Billings Logan International Airport isn’t only noteworthy because of what it’s made of, but also because of how much it cost to construct — $85,000.
Built from 12 recycled food industry shipping containers, the new facility can be set on fire time and again and remain standing, ready for the next training session.
Bill Rash, Billings Fire Department assistant chief, and Sean Biggins, a fire engineer and trainer, led a tour for Billings City Council members, city staff and the media Friday.
“It’s economical, but it still allows us to meet firefighter training objectives to better serve the community,” Rash said.
The trainers are still learning how to use the new facility, and Billings firefighters will be next, Biggins said. They’ll be followed by members of neighboring fire departments.
“We need to be able to depend on each other when we are working with our mutual aid responders,” Rash said. “During a catastrophic event, when they come in we want to know them by name. All our expectations, all our communications need to be on the same page.”
Billings and airport firefighters designed the modular facility and helped construct it. Firefighters estimate the cost of a similar pre-engineered facility would have been $550,000.