BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. — Bernalillo County opened a new facility for firefighters and deputies to coordinate their training and “cross-train” with modern equipment.

Bernalillo County Fire Rescue and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office will now be able to cross-train and improve communication between agencies. They will also have access to each other’s training methods to make the entire county response stronger.

The 41,000-square-foot facility, located near Rio Bravo and Broadway, finally opened its doors Thursday – a day years in the making.

“This is a place where it all starts. New recruits for both Fire and Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office are already being trained and vetted in the various disciplines. And we are already seeing the benefits of having everyone in one location previously,” said Shirley M. Ragin, the interim county manager.

The Bernalillo County Commission approved $1.4 million for the building. They also signed a 30-year lease, paying roughly $55,000 a month for the facility.

“There’s a lecture hall, eight classrooms with audio and visual aids, a dedicated fitness center for physical training, firearms training, a simulation room, the location of an existing drill tower and much more. Staff is using every inch of the property,” Ragin said.

All of this will allow county agencies to benefit each other by sharing training methods.

“We can actually use that simulation room to do search and rescue and to conduct different types of fire drills. So this facility can be used two fold. And then the sheriff’s deputies also use our tower for different types of exercises. PT training, obviously, clearing houses, things like that,” said Eric Wasson, the division chief of training for BCFR.