Switalski worked to get the new fire engine before his death. He helped design it, adding features meant to keep his men safe. Though he’ll never get to ride in it, his name is emblazoned on both sides and a copy of his obituary was placed in between the panels in the driver’s side door.

“So we will know that he is always with us,” Beauchamp explained.

The new simulator gives them training that would be too dangerous or expensive to do with a real firetruck.

Interim fire chief Rick Diebert, said the biggest takeaway from it is teaching better ways to drive the trucks.

“We try to teach them to look ahead and expect the unexpected, basically,” Diebert said.

The KU Fire and Rescue Training Simulator travels all over Kansas to help firefighters.