Council hears plans for Olathe Fire Department’s new $4 million training center

The Olathe Fire Department is moving forward with plans to build a $4 million training center that will not only serve the department’s own firefighters but also attract fire departments and rescue agencies throughout the region.

Fire Chief Jeff DeGraffenreid on Tuesday laid out plans for the center to the City Council, who still must approve the design and spending on the project.

DeGraffenreid said the facility would allow Olathe personnel to train locally while still being able to respond to emergencies nearby. Currently, he said the department has to travel to training facilities in Overland Park and Platte County, Mo. “It is an exciting opportunity for us to provide some much-needed training space here in our community,” DeGraffenreid said.