SJFD's Battalion Chief Jeff Fielding highlights the San José Fire Training Center.

Strategically located in the heart of San José, the San José Fire Training Center and Emergency Operations Center supports the training, planning, and coordination needed to keep our community safe. From firefighter training to emergency management, this facility helps prepare our personnel and strengthen the City’s emergency response capabilities..

Spanning 75,900 square feet, this state-of-the-art facility brings together three key areas: Fire Department Training, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). It provides expanded training opportunities, improved emergency coordination, and enhanced resources to better support the City of San José during emergencies.

Facility Operations

• Fire Academy: The San José Fire Department operates a comprehensive 20-week Firefighter Recruit Academy and a 10-week Lateral Firefighter Academy at this facility. These academies provide rigorous academic and physical training that prepares firefighters with the skills and knowledge needed to serve the community. Visit our Recruitment webpage to learn more about current job opportunities. 
• Specialized Training: The facility supports ongoing training and professional development for active firefighters throughout their careers. The SJFD Training Division manages skills assessments, driver training, licensing, credential tracking, and specialized programs. Firefighters can also receive advanced training to join specialized teams, including the Hazardous Incident Team (HIT), Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR), and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Team (ARFF).
• Emergency Medical Services: The SJFD Emergency Medical Services Division provides continuing EMS education, quality improvement programs, medical equipment management, certification support, and infection control services.
• Office of Emergency Management: The City’s Office of Emergency Management helps protect lives, property, and the environment by developing and coordinating programs that prepare for, respond to, recover from, and reduce the impacts of natural and human-caused disasters and emergencies.
• Emergency Operations Center: The City’s primary Emergency Operations Center is located at this facility. During major emergencies, the EOC serves as the central location for coordinating citywide response efforts, supporting decision-making, and managing recovery operations with partner agencies.

Facility Structures

• Classroom & Office Building: This 32,112-square-foot building provides classrooms, training spaces, and operational offices for the San José Fire Department and Office of Emergency Management. It supports programs including the Fire Academy, Emergency Medical Services Division, Training Division, and Fire Information Technology.
• Emergency Operations Center: The Emergency Operations Center includes a public lobby, executive rooms, and advanced communication and planning spaces. During major emergencies, this facility supports coordination and decision-making among city departments and partner agencies.
• Apparatus Bay: This multi-purpose facility stores fire training equipment and apparatus used for firefighter education. It also includes a fitness center for strength and endurance training, a breakroom, turnout gear storage for training staff and recruits, and an air room for refilling self-contained breathing apparatus air bottles.
• Training Tower & Auxiliary Buildings: The training grounds allow firefighters to practice real-world emergency scenarios in a controlled environment. The facility includes:
  • Six-story fire training tower
  • Four-story apartment tower
  • Two-story residential tower
  • Seven-story rappelling deck
  • Big box store and warehouse training area
  • Strip mall training structure
  • Stuck elevator training prop
  • Mock PG&E power lines
  • Vehicle extrication training area

This design-bid-build project is a collaborative effort between multiple City of San José departments: San José Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management, and Public Works. Design by Ten Over Studio and G2 Solutions Group and construction by Zovich Construction.