We are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Chandler Public Safety Training Center. I recently had the opportunity to tour the facility and test out some of the training amenities offered for Chandler Fire and Chandler Police. Below is a quick list of facts the average resident may not know about this facility.
- This facility started with a donation from Intel. Chandler Public Safety Center has been at its current location for almost 20 years. Before its creation, Intel showed an interest in training its staff in emergency response so it could respond to small emergencies. In exchange for providing the City of Chandler with the land for the facility, the City agreed to train Intel staff in emergency response. Police originally had plans for their own training center, but creating a joint facility was a smarter decision both financially and operationally.
- This facility is a regional destination for public safety training. Public safety organizations from all over the Valley utilize the training classrooms, auditoriums and infrastructure at this facility. Chandler has an intergovernmental agreement to train Maricopa, Sun Lakes and Gila River firefighters at this facility. For Police, this facility allows the department to centralize and conduct training for internal and external partners that historically the department was not able to do. In addition, Chandler Police and Fire use this facility to do joint training to simulate major incidents, like active-shooter situations.
- Chandler firefighters played a major role in the design of their training amenities. They looked at the types of buildings in Chandler and reviewed incident history so the facility’s design best simulated the real-life situations Valley firefighters see every day. Training simulation amenities include a Class-A burn building with a basement, a six-story tower plumbed with natural gas, various roof props to simulate commercial and residential ventilation, a flash-over chamber and much more.
- A firearms simulator is used to prepare police officers for real-world situations. This tool offers a wide variety of scenarios that teach our officers how and when to react in critical incidents and situations. Officers use it continuously to learn how to make split-second decisions so they are prepared on the street.
- Phase Two of construction is underway on the facility, and it is expected to be completed in 2020. Phase Two work includes adding indoor weapons firing ranges and range support spaces. Additionally, plans include a multi-purpose/indoor training building complete with a Fire Department classroom, lockers, showers, equipment storage and shop spaces. The multi-purpose training building will also allow for climate-controlled training during the summertime.
The Chandler City Council is committed to supporting the needs of our public safety professionals so our community receives a high level of service. Read about the Budget Amendments passed for FY19-20 that will enhance training and tools for Chandler Police and Fire: