Plans for a new certified fire training facility in New Braunfels are moving forward with additional support from Comal County’s Emergency Services District No. 7.
New Braunfels City Council approved an interlocal agreement with Comal County to fund the project’s final phase during a regular meeting Jan. 12.
About the project
The New Braunfels Fire Department, or NBFD, which provides fire protection and emergency medical services to ESD 7, has already completed preliminary phases of construction for the facility, according to agenda documents. The second and final phase—expected to cost about $4.2 million—will be fully funded by ESD 7 under the agreement.
The department hopes to break ground during fiscal year 2026-27, with an expected construction timeline of about a year. The final phase of the training facility will replicate real-world fire scenarios firefighters may encounter across the city and within ESD 7, New Braunfels Fire Chief Ruy Lozano said.
The planned site will feature a five-story burn prop for live-fire simulations, along with a two-story “mock city” environment that allows crews to practice navigating a variety of emergency scenarios. An apparatus bay will support equipment storage and on-site training operations, Lozano said.
Assessing the need
The training facility addresses a major challenge. While structure fires make up a smaller share of overall call volume, they are considered low-frequency, high-acuity incidents—which need consistent, extensive and realistic training, Lozano said.
Currently, firefighters must travel outside New Braunfels to access certified training facilities, which can strain staffing levels and reduce coverage during training hours, Lozano said. Having a local, certified facility would allow firefighters to train while on duty without leaving their response area.
The facility will be certified through the National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, and designed to meet standards recognized by the Insurance Services Office, or ISO, Lozano said. While ISO does not certify facilities directly, meeting NFPA standards allows training hours to count toward ISO scoring, which can also lower insurance premiums for residents within the service area.
New Braunfels currently holds an ISO Class 1 rating—the highest available—but the rating operates on a points-based scale. The NBFD currently sits in the mid-range of the 1 rating, but with a local training facility, it may be able to move into the higher end of the scale, Lozano said.
“This is going to make it where we can train firefighters while on duty and not have to leave our response area,” he said.
In other news
ESD 7 is also partnering with the city to improve emergency radio communications within the district, according to agenda documents.
The agreement authorizes ESD 7—which is funded primarily by property taxes—to fund a $2.5 million project aimed at strengthening radio coverage used by the NBFD, Lozano said.
The fire department currently operates on a Lower Colorado River Authority, or LCRA, radio system supported by a single primary communication tower. After a recent coverage analysis identified gaps in service across portions of the district, ESD 7 and LCRA developed a plan to enhance system reliability, Lozano said.
The project includes upgrades to tower equipment and the construction of a new tower to bolster coverage service. The goal of the project is to ensure firefighters and EMS crews maintain consistent communication while responding to calls throughout New Braunfels and the surrounding district, according to agenda documents.
Once the scope of work is approved and the initial payment is made, the tower is expected to be completed alongside a new, New Braunfels Utilities water tower, Lozano said.
