In an effort to enhance public safety training and address a growing need for emergency responders, the Centre County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution during its meeting on Tuesday.
The resolution looks to secure a $1 million statewide Local Share Assessment grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority to support the expansion of the Centre County Public Safety Training Center on Harrison Road in Pleasant Gap.
This funding would be allocated for the expansion of the center, a critical resource for law enforcement, emergency medical services, firefighting training and more.
Mark Keller, who oversees the Centre County Public Safety Training Center, emphasized the center’s growth in recent years. He noted the addition of various training resources, including a confined-space prop and a dedicated hazardous material area. Keller also highlighted the establishment of a fire station around 2018-19.
Over the past five years, the center has experienced a surge in the number of students from law enforcement, EMS and firefighting disciplines.
“We’re servicing right now, between fire and EMS, roughly 18 counties,” Keller stated. “In law enforcement, we’re servicing all of Centre County law enforcement, the county tactical team and some of the task force assets as well. We have grown from roughly 50 classes in 2018 to 130 classes in 2022.”
Keller outlined plans for an expanded facility, including a computer lab to house a Pearson VUE test site, which is crucial for EMS students in the area. He expressed optimism about the project’s potential to meet a demand for training.
BOC Chair Mark Higgins praised the center’s accomplishments, noting that the number of classes offered nearly tripled over the past four to five years. He also highlighted the tourism and economic development prospects, which could attract regional speakers and larger classes, ultimately benefiting local businesses.
Todd Taylor of the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology emphasized the strong partnership between CPI and Centre County and reaffirmed the commitment to providing free training for first responders.
“I plan to keep doing that and that’s because of the strength of our partnership with Centre County and it’s good for everyone involved,” Taylor said.
Commissioner Amber Concepcion stressed the importance of securing funding for the project, viewing it as a key priority for 2024. She emphasized the need to educate and train incoming generations of emergency responders to address the demographic changes in the volunteer firefighting and EMS sectors.
“We’ve gotten really good support from the legislators who represent Centre County in terms of understanding the importance of this project. So, we’re hopeful we’ll be able to put together a few different grants to make this a reality,” Concepcion said.
Commissioner Steve Dershem emphasized the broader collaboration between Centre County, legislators and local industries that benefit from the training center. He underlined the critical need for well-trained volunteers and professionals in public safety and their collective enthusiasm for the expansion.
“It demonstrates a much bigger collaboration we have, not just here in Centre County. It’s not just the emergency services as well; it’s also the local industry that uses it to keep their folks safe,” Dershem said. “This is something that’s going to take the site to the next level as far as training ability and I think we’re all excited to see where that goes.”
The unanimous approval of the resolution by the Centre County BOC is a step towards the expansion of the Centre County Public Safety Training Center and maintaining safety within the region.
