On Friday, March 21st, the RI Fire Training Academy broke ground for their much needed expansion. The project includes two new classrooms, an auditorium, and a five bay fire station. The fire station will be the new home for the RI Fire Chiefs Physical Performance Assessment (PPA) testing.

Fire Marshal Tim McLaughlin welcomed the crowd of fire chiefs, fire & state officials and other friends of the fire academy. Featured speakers at the ceremony were Governor Dan McKee, Senator Jack Reed, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, RI Senator David Tikoian representing Senate President Ruggerio and Representative Julie Casimiro representing Speaker Shekarchi. Fire Academy Director Mark Pare was the master of ceremonies that featured the current fire academy recruit class marching in and posting the colors.

A dozen shovels awaited the group of speakers, along with representatives from the RI Association of Fire Chiefs and RI Fire Training & Coordinating Board, to dig into the dirt to officially begin the project. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.