Cobb County opens expanded fire training facility after $23 million in SPLOST investments

Cobb County officials and fire leaders celebrated the grand opening of the county’s renovated fire training facility during a public ceremony, highlighting work completed in Phase 1 and Phase 2 funded through the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).

The training site, whose roots county speakers traced to 1972, now includes new buildings, burn props and training grounds installed during a two-year Phase 2 project funded by an $18 million SPLOST allocation; a separate $5 million Phase 1 renovation of the 2109 building was completed in 2022.

Why it matters: County leaders said the upgraded complex will let Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services run more realistic, rigorous training—aimed at improving responder safety and preparedness—and will support recruits, firefighters, EMTs and public-safety students who attend the academy.

Division Chief Steve Lester, chief of training for Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services, traced the training program’s origins to 1972 and described how training evolved from on-the-job drills to formal recruit schools and shared training with the Georgia Fire Academy in Marietta. “This left us with the entire property to ourselves, and the plans for renovation and expansion began,” Lester said, summarizing the project’s recent phases and thanking staff and contractors for the work.

Dr. Michael Cunningham, fire chief, said the improvements ‘‘represent our continued commitment to excellence in training, preparedness, and public safety’’ and that the enhancements will provide ‘‘more realistic, rigorous, and modern training environments’’ for firefighters, EMTs and cadets.

Director of Public Safety Mike Register praised the complex as ‘‘phenomenal’’ after discussing his exposure to fire training facilities statewide and credited county leaders, staff and the community for supporting the investment. The county’s chairwoman thanked Cobb voters for supporting SPLOST and said the complex reflects citizens’ commitment to public safety.

Project and funding details: Speakers identified the following items discussed during remarks: - Phase 1: A $5,000,000 renovation of the 2109 building completed in 2022, funded through the 2016 SPLOST; Croft and Associates served as architect and Spratlin & Sons Construction served as contractor. This work required staff to operate from temporary classrooms for about 12 months. - Phase 2: An $18,000,000 SPLOST-funded expansion approved in 2022; planning work began in 2023 with Piper O’Brien Hare as lead architect on the overall project and Stuart Cooper Newell leading the burn building design; Spratlin & Sons Construction began construction on the Phase 2 components referenced during remarks. - Phase 3 (planned): A multipurpose building to replace the county police firing range is planned; speakers said construction is expected to begin in the fall, conditioned on the police department completing its new range on East West Connector.

History and site context: Speakers said the facility originally shared space with the police academy and that the ‘‘Old Tower’’ remains from the earlier training grounds. The transcript notes the police opened their own training facility on East West Connector in November 2020, which freed the county property for full fire-service use and enabled the expansion plan.

Officials, including District 1 Commissioner Kelly Gambrell, District 3 Commissioner Joanne Burrell and District 4 Commissioner Monique Sheffield, publicly thanked firefighters and the community. Dr. Jackie McMorris (identified in remarks as Dr. Jackie McMorris) called the workforce ‘‘a calling’’ and thanked the board and staff for supporting public-safety investments. Speakers invited attendees to a ceremonial reveal at the high-rise tower, to remain for guided tours and lunch, and noted battalion chief Ian Martin would play bagpipes for the final reveal.

What was not decided: The ceremony did not include formal votes or policy actions; remarks described completed and planned construction and the funding sources but did not enact new legislation or appropriations at the event.

Next steps and local impact: County leaders and training staff said the complex will host recruit schools, promotional testing, conferences and public-safety classes. Speakers emphasized the facility’s role in improving responder safety and preparedness, and they encouraged recruits and interested residents to use available training programs.