Champion training center for police, fire, other first responders getting closer

By Ed Runyan | May 18, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

CHAMPION

Several committees have been working since 2008 to create a 10-county training center for firefighters, law-enforcement officers, utility workers and other emergency responders next to Kent State University at Trumbull.

The Public Safety, Security and Environmental Health Institute would be built on 60 acres provided by the university. If all phases were to be built, the cost could be $10 million or more.

The project will be built in phases, however, with the two most-important phases being a $3 million burn tower and $1.5 million simulated alley or mall, said George Brown, former Howland and Boardman townships fire chief who is one of the project’s chief architects.

The first two phases would provide hands-on training facilities for firefighters, police officers, utility workers and other first responders.

Officials still are seeking funding, but Brown said he expects construction to start in the next 12 months and take about nine months to complete.

The university has set aside some money, and partnerships with Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office, Trumbull County Career and Technical Center, and the oil and gas industry are expected to provide the rest.

The project would be a collaboration among KSU, the state, federal agencies and Northeast Ohio first responders, Brown said.

He added training also could be offered by the National Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with public entities dealing with anti-terrorism and security concerns.

KSU will provide workshops, bachelor’s-degree and graduate-level programs in forensics, homeland security, crime scene, computer security, public-safety management, business security, anti-terrorism and emergency management, Brown said.

Law enforcement would be able to practice SWAT training, hostage negotiation, riot-control training, patrol tactics and special operations, officials said.

Emergency medical technicians would be able to practice immobilization, patient movement, tactical operations, extrication and defensive driving.

Meanwhile, the Howland and Brookfield fire departments have had meetings in recent weeks related to construction of a $500,000 burn tower on land owned by Brookfield Township next to the Brookfield Fire Department on state Route 7.

Darlene St. George, Howland Township administrator, said that project came about because a Brookfield resident offered to donate the money to build it.

Howland was asked to be part of the Brookfield project because the township runs the Howland Training Center, which has been teaching fire-training courses since Brown created it in 1996, when he was its fire chief, St. George said.

Howland will have “very, very little start-up costs” to be involved in the Brookfield project, and “minimal ongoing maintenance cost,” said township Fire Chief James Pantalone. The project could be ready to use in as little as six months, he said.

Both Pantalone and St. George said they knew little about the KSU at Trumbull project. Brown left Howland as fire chief in July 2011.

Wanda Thomas, interim dean at KSU at Trumbull, recently wrote a letter to Howland trustees saying it’s important to avoid duplication with regard to the two proposed training centers, St. George said.

As for having two burn towers, Brown said it will be “great” for one to be built in Brookfield, and he’s not concerned about it.

St. George said of the Howland Training Center, “We’ve been in existence since 1996. We’re not duplicating anything.”