PURVIS — Lamar County is expanding its fire training facility in Purvis with the addition of gas-fired props that will allow firefighters to train on car, dumpster, field and gas well fires. The project is expected to be completed by summer 2026. 

Lamar County Fire Coordinator Kyle Hill said the expansion will give firefighters access to live-fire training scenarios that are not currently available at the facility, which was built in 2022. 

“This particular addition will allow us to use gas-fired props, so we’ll actually be using live fire that is fueled by gas,” Hill said. 

The gas-fired props will be installed on an open concrete pad next to the current facility. The pad will include a dumpster, car, propane tank and other items that tend to burn in nearby communities. 

Hill said realistic, hands-on training helps firefighters respond more effectively during emergency situations and increases their chances of coming home safely. 

“It’ll be a real-life, hands-on experience,” Hill said. 

Justin Broome, a firefighter for the Southwest Lamar Fire Department, has been fighting fires in the area since 2019. He said he was not previously able to train on certain types of fires at the current facility, such as car and dumpster fires. He said the training that will be available when the expansion is completed is critical for firefighters. 

He said the impact of the expansion will reach far beyond Lamar County. 

“I do believe that it will benefit us as well as local county departments around us to be able to do things that they could also do at the Jackson Fire Academy,” Broome said. 

Lamar County Fire Services comprises more than 200 firefighters who serve 24 stations across the county. All firefighters in the county participate in monthly training at the Mississippi State Fire Academy in Jackson. 

“It makes it difficult to get hands-on time, so it definitely gives us an opportunity to be able to do this in our county for our people,” Hill said. 

Hill said many counties already use the current training facility in Purvis, when possible, rather than traveling to Jackson. Other agencies, such as the Mississippi State Task Force, State Fire Marshal’s Office and Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, also use the current facility. 

“The first purpose is to make sure our people are well-trained and safe and are able to come home safely,” Hill said. “And the second thing is to make sure our people are providing a quality service to the taxpayers of Lamar County.”