Grand opening!
We were delighted to be in attendance at last week’s official opening of Platinum House, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s brand-new Training Centre and Fire Station.
His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, Lady Emma Barnard opened a rare gem in the UK. It is the first new fire station and training centre in West Sussex since 1974 and first Live Fire Training facility in the County. Named Platinum House in honour of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the station sets a shining example of a modern, safe working environment for fire and rescue service staff.
His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, Lady Emma Barnard opened a rare gem in the UK. It is the first new fire station and training centre in West Sussex since 1974 and first Live Fire Training facility in the County. Named Platinum House in honour of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the station sets a shining example of a modern, safe working environment for fire and rescue service staff.
During a ceremony held at the new facility in Horsham, guests were given a tour of the new facility and watched a demonstration in the station’s drill yard.
This is a momentous occasion for West Sussex County Council and West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service as we reach the culmination of a commitment to build an industry-leading new facility to ensure our firefighters are equipped with the skills that they need to keep us all safe in the event of an emergency.
Pete Bradbury, Chairman of West Sussex County Council
The building represents far more than bricks and mortar - it represents our vision for the future. Platinum House becoming operational marks the start of a new era for West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service.
Pete Bradbury, Chairman of West Sussex County Council
Horsham has a long and proud history of firefighters who have worked tirelessly to keep people safe, and to be there to support them in their hour of need.
Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council
I wonder what the firefighters from days gone by, dressed in brass helmets and wool tunics, would make of Platinum House today? Not least the considerable steps forward in firefighter safety and best practice, but even down to the way we power the building through the use of green energy sources.
Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council
I suspect they would be in awe of this remarkable facility, and it is in their memory that we dedicate the opening of Platinum House as we look to a long and prosperous new chapter of the fire service in Horsham and beyond across the whole of West Sussex.
Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council
On behalf of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service I would like to put on record our thanks as a service to the Leader of West Sussex County Council, our Cabinet Member and the Cabinet for understanding the vision we had to deliver a first-class facility here - not just for the residents of Horsham, but all of our communities in West Sussex.
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer
In the year that we marked the coronation of King Charles III we are honoured to pay tribute to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by naming Platinum House in her memory.
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer
Platinum House will serve as a reminder to us all of our Late Queen’s remarkable public service over 70 years. The state-of-the-art training centre and new fire station for Horsham will ensure that West Sussex’s firefighters continue to have the skills and knowledge to keep residents safe for years to come.
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer
The journey to create this flagship scheme has been fuelled by years of international research, placing firefighters’ health and wellbeing as the top priority of the facility, and marks a significant milestone in the evolution of our Fire and Rescue Services. The immersive realistic training scenarios allow them to hone their skills, ensuring they are better equipped to protect the communities of West Sussex and beyond.
Operating as a 24-hour Fire Station, the design consists of a new fire station and training centre with cold smoke training tower, live fire training facility, breathing apparatus facility, garages, and road traffic collision training zone in the drill yard.
Located in a prominent location just off the A24, the Live Fire Training Facility features striking gold metal cladding. The cladding varies from perforated to solid, emphasising the iconic nature of the Live Fire Training Facility whilst also masking the intense activity of the building from the adjacent A24.
Located in a prominent location just off the A24, the Live Fire Training Facility features striking gold metal cladding. The cladding varies from perforated to solid, emphasising the iconic nature of the Live Fire Training Facility whilst also masking the intense activity of the building from the adjacent A24.
The design supports the Council’s aims to become carbon neutral with smoxidisers, reburning the smoke from the Live Fire Training Centre to release clean air. The scheme also incorporates solar panels and EV charging points, as well as Air Source Heat Pumps that provide heating.
December 2023