Marion's $2.8M Fire Training Center Opens Doors Regionally

When Don and Mary Ruth Devault passed away, they left behind more than memories. Their $900,000 gift to the Marion Firefighters Association has transformed into a $2.8 million training center that's already changing how firefighters prepare for the toughest moments of their careers.

The new Marion Public Safety Training Center features two specialized buildings designed to turn good firefighters into exceptional ones. The "dirty" building lets crews battle real flames in full gear, while the "clean" building uses a four-story tower and theatrical smoke for technical rescues and confined space training.

Division Chief of Training Kale McBurney says the difference is night and day. Before this facility, Marion firefighters depended on finding abandoned houses to burn, hoping the asbestos levels weren't dangerous and the location met code requirements outside city limits.

The Devaults' gift grew to $1.3 million through careful investment. Combined with Marion's Capital Improvement funds, the association built something the entire region desperately needed.

For Marion's fire department, the benefits go beyond better training. Crews no longer travel to Johnson County facilities, which meant expensive overtime costs and stretched staffing back home. Now firefighters train during regular shifts without leaving their community vulnerable.

The timing couldn't be better. Marion runs a relatively young department where experience makes all the difference between life and death decisions.

The Ripple Effect

This facility will become a regional resource when it officially opens this spring after final electrical work and signage installation. Departments throughout Iowa will finally have accessible, high-quality training without the logistical nightmares of burning actual houses.

The training rooms use chains holding OSB plywood on walls and barrels filled with pallets to replicate real fire conditions, like a burning loveseat. Each shift will face four live fires this year to stay sharp and ready.

McBurney wishes budget allowed monthly burns, but even quarterly training represents a massive leap forward. The investment means newer firefighters gain critical experience in controlled environments before facing actual emergencies.

When the ribbon cutting happens later this spring, Marion will welcome neighboring departments to share in the Devaults' legacy of protecting those who protect us.