Calera, Ala. - Flames leap out of a mock kitchen on the bottom floor.

In the attic, a fire rages, and smoke begins to reduce visibility.  The temperature starts to rise.

"The heat is normally about 500 degrees four feet off the ground and can reach up to 11, 12-hundred degrees," said David McCurry of the Pelham Fire Department.

On the roof, men and women conduct high-angle rope rescues.  Others scale the walls outside the building.

The scenes are all part of a day's work at Shelby County's new Fire and Emergency Medical Training Complex off Alabama Highway 70 in Calera.

McCurry speaks with ease as flames shoot out of propane-powered household fixtures.  The controlled fires, McCurry says, are the best way to train paid and volunteer fire and rescue workers on the latest, most state-of-the-art techniques.

"This gives us a central location to train together," McCurry said, noting that fire and rescue staff from various cities will learn as part of a unified effort.

"It's going to allow everyone in the county to get on the same page, not only train as their department, but train as groups," added Montevallo Fire Chief Bill Reid, who oversees many volunteers in his department.

"It allows us training that we could never afford," added Davy Edwards, chief of the Wilsonville Volunteer Fire Department.  "And it's a great day for the fire service and rescue to have something like this in our county."

The training complex was built to represent all types of buildings in the county.  Its tower is five stories tall, similar to the heights of office buildings and hotels.  There is an elevator shaft for rescue drills.  Firefighters will also train on balconies, which will help them simulate apartment rescues.

The center is the most advanced facility of its kind in the state, according to Reed Prince, facilities manager for Shelby County.  The nearest center that offers the same level of training is in metro Atlanta.

"We actually visited different facilities all over the Southeast," Prince said.  "I even went to Kansas City to look at one to get a good grip on what was out there."

The benefit to having such a facility so close to home is that firefighters can stay close to their assigned areas while still receiving necessary training.

"We still have to protect our city," McCurry noted.  "And we can't turn loose an apparatus to be gone all day long.  So we can send them down here for an hour or two and get some excellent training."

The cost was more than $1.2 million, which was shared by all departments using the center.  The result, Prince said, will be greater protection, thanks to more highly qualified firefighters and rescue personnell.

Prince added that many homeowners would also reap a financial benefit, particularly those who are served by volunteer fire departments.  With the new level of traning the volunteers will receive, home insurance premiums should go down.

In all, 24 fire and rescue departments will have access to the training center.

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