FVTC breaks ground on training center
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FVTC breaks ground on training center Video by nbc26.com
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY--A boost to the economy and better-trained emergency responders. A project through Fox Valley Technical College aims to do both. The college broke ground on the new Midwest Public Safety Training Center after a 66-million dollar referendum passed in April.
With the turn of a shovel an idea six years in the making comes to life. Construction on the new Midwest Public Safety Training center is now underway at the Outagamie County Regional Airport.
"It's going to be the most realistic training site in Wisconsin, in the Midwest and it will be one of the top in the nation," said fire department chair for the FVTC, Jeremy Hansen.
Complete with a mock village, sniper range, 20 ft deep pond and all kinds of other realistic scenarios, Grand Chute Police Chief Greg Peterson says it will be the perfect place to keep his force well trained. For example, instead of using chairs to simulate cars in a classroom, officers will have access to the real thing.
"If you can recreate the situation they will be in, there is no doubt in my mind they will be prepared to handle the real thing on the street when it happens," said Peterson.
Already trained personnel will come for the latest techniques and new students wil learn there too. The center will train police, fire, paramedic and forensic scientists all in the same place.
"There isn't a call that occurs that we are typically not all on. So if we respond together in the real world, we ought to train together too," said Hansen.
The training center should be complete in two years. Construction is expected to create 300 jobs.
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