Gilbert Highet wrote in The Art of Teaching that “Wherever there are beginners and experts, old and young, there is some kind of learning going on, and some sort of teaching. We are all pupils and we are all teachers.” That certainly describes the philosophy behind a new multiagency training facility in Arizona.

The Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center has been a unique venture for the city. Its acronym, GRPSTC, also could represent Greater Regional Partnering for a Successful Training Center. The regional partnership began in the late 1970s during the development of the Phoenix Regional Automatic Aid System under the leadership of Chief Alan Brunacini (Ret.) and included the Avondale, Peoria, Glendale and Surprise fire departments; Glendale Police Department; and the Maricopa County Community College District.

That partnership developed the concept for the state-of-the-art joint-use public safety training center in June 2006 and formalized the plan though an intergovernmental agreement. The facility opened in April 2007.

The center is comprised of a law enforcement division and a fire division and both provide basic recruit training, advanced training, Maricopa County Community College public safety training programs and private corporation public safety training programs. Both divisions offer comprehensive training programs within their particular disciplines of expertise, and share division resources including staff. In addition to training division programs, individual agencies may also identify and implement specialized training for their members.

The center is located on an 80-acre site that is located within a Federal Emergency Management Agency-designated flood plain. Thirteen acres are dedicated to a levee that surrounds the facility to prevent flooding and removes the facility from the flood-plain classification. The remaining 67 acres are used for the training center, which creates a realistic city-like environment for public safety training.

The administration and main classroom building is 94,690 square feet and includes a law-enforcement defensive tactics room and a 9,385-square-foot fire department Candidate Physical Ability Testing area. The joint-use areas include a 6,510-square-foot health center; physical fitness room with attached men's and women's locker room and shower facilities; 11 offices, 10 cubicles and seven work stations for staff and faculty; a state-of-the-art computer lab with 30 computer stations; seven 50-person classrooms, one of which features fixed anchor points for technical-rescue training; and two breakout rooms, two libraries, three conference/meeting rooms, and a large lecture hall that seats 132 students. Audio/visual equipment can link all classrooms and meeting rooms to the lecture hall if needed for large presentations or training.

The prop-use area is 56 acres and holds a single-family house with a basement, a kitchen fire prop and a car fire prop in the attached garage. Other fire department props include a 5-story gas prop training tower with suppression and technical-rescue props; a simulated fire station with a “dirty” classroom, kitchen, recruit training captain offices, and equipment storage area; natural-gas props that include a car fire, a gas migration field, a bell hole prop and a railroad tanker prop; a Class A combustible flashover prop; a propane tank and propane tank filling prop; a multi-use ventilation prop designed to conduct search-and-rescue drills and mayday training; a technical-rescue confined-space prop; and an auto-extrication area.

Law enforcement officers can train with one 100-yard and two 50-yard shooting ranges and a fire arms shooting village; and a police officer physical agility test. There also are two canopy-style aid stations with restrooms, fans, mister systems and SCBA fill stations and a driver-training track with a skid pad that also can be used for hose lays for joint use.

The intergovernmental agreement provides direction for operational and fiscal necessities of the GRPSTC and clearly defines the financial responsibility and allowance of facility use determined by the pro-rate share that each agency contributes toward construction and continued operational funding. Additionally, the agreement provides a flexible management structure that enables administrative and fiscal review of the center's operation, as well as facilitating cooperative decision making by all partnering agencies.

The agreement created an executive board, chiefs board and an operations committee to decentralize decision-making processes and delegate authority to all partnering agencies. Each group reviews and approves or recommends solutions for challenges presented to each respective team. If a decision-making authority is encompassed within its group, a review-and-approve process can be executed. If a decision-making process involves a judgment beyond the group's scope of authority, a review-and-recommend process can be conducted. The next level of authority can adopt the recommendation, modify the recommendation, or request that the previous group review the challenge and submit another proposed solution.

The executive board is charged with approving all capital improvement plans, the annual operating budget, the operations manual and any required legal actions. The executive board meets semi-annually and can convene as needed to address strategic level decisions regarding the center. The Glendale city manager serves as the executive board chairman. All actions of the executive board are contingent on a membership vote. The executive board consists of the Glendale, Peoria, Surprise and Avondale city managers and the chancellor of Maricopa County Community College District. The chiefs board chairman and the center's director attend executive board meetings as non-voting members.

The chiefs board reviews and recommends approval of the annual operating budget, operations manual, and annual training plan and schedule. The board meets quarterly to address tactical level decisions regarding the center. All actions are contingent on a membership vote. The board consists of the Glendale, Avondale, Peoria and Surprise fire chiefs; the Glendale police chief and the community college district's fire and police program chairs. The Glendale Fire Chief Mark Burdick was elected as the chairman by the other board members.

The operations committee meets quarterly to address task-level decisions regarding the operations manual, annual budget, and annual training plan and schedule for recommendation to the chiefs board. The center director serves as the chair of the committee, which consists of one member from each the Glendale, Avondale, Peoria and Surprise fire departments; the Glendale Police Department; and the community college district's fire and police programs. All actions approved by the operations committee are contingent on a membership vote.

The center director is appointed by the Glendale fire chief and can't hold a rank below deputy chief. He or she is responsible for oversight of all day-to-day management issues surrounding the training center including all fiscal budget and strategic planning recommendations. The salary and benefits for the center director are funded from the training center's annual budget. Job performance is evaluated annually by the executive and chiefs boards.

The partnering agencies have tasked the center with providing students fair, impartial and job-related instruction. The training process is conducted within the scope and expectations of their daily duties. The center staff provides counseling, tutoring, organized study groups, and remedial instruction as necessary. The performance of the basic graduates is evaluated for the first year after graduation and training programs are updated to ensure continuous improvement and quality education.

All instruction methods are consistent with the standards of adult-learning principles. Training programs emphasize individual responsibility and preparedness, while acknowledging the teamwork public safety personnel use while performing emergency functions.

A master calendar is used to document all center activities for one calendar year. The calendar is managed using an 80/20 rule, which mandates that the calendar will never have more than 80% of the capacity scheduled, leaving 20% to be used for discretionary purposes. Requests for use of the center facilities must be submitted by April 1 for the following fiscal year. The calendar is then submitted to the operations committee and subsequently to the chiefs board for final approval on or before June 30. Priorities for the facility have been established to be fair and equitable and are in the following order:

1. Basic and advanced training for partnering public safety agencies and the community college district.

2. Regional specialty training for non-partnering public safety agencies.

3. Use by municipal and county public safety agencies located outside of Maricopa County, outside governmental agencies, and personnel.

4. Use by private entities that have a need to be trained in public safety.

The center has provided multiple training courses and opportunities for all partnering agencies since opening in April. Although the courses have encompassed a wide variety of subjects from leadership training to Department of Energy hazmat training, the center's training foundation is public safety basic and advanced training. Basic training encompasses recruit firefighter and police officer training, as well as degree courses. The first basic-training class to graduate from the center was the Fire Academy 07-1 Class in October.

The advanced training required by each agency is diverse and can include in-service training, technical-rescue technician and hazmat programs and continuing education, tele-conferences, law enforcement identification technician, annual mandated training, leadership and management training, National Incident Management System training, media training, minimum company standards, command training, firearms training, driver training, physical training, force resistance training, reassignment training, instructor training, proficiency training, language training, pre-service fire academies, AZPOST basic police training academy, Citizen Emergency Response Teams training, a citizen's academy, and Explorer/cadet training. It also can include move-up programs for engineers, captains and battalion chiefs, and field-training programs for officers, detectives and sergeants program.

But the center isn't done yet. Phase II should be completed in March 2008. Phases III and IV have preliminary design plans and will be initiated when funding is available. Phases III and IV will expand the capacity of the center to benefit all public safety agencies within the State of Arizona and possibly in the southwestern region of the United States.

With the new phases, the fire department will be getting a wildland simulation area, trench-rescue area, structural-collapse rubble pile, swiftwater prop, simulated gas station, big-box building, strip mall with multiple occupancies, electrical high-tension tower prop, two additional house burn props, and a multi-family burn prop.

Police officers will have a simulated police department station and village with multi- and single-family, commercial, and industrial occupancies; a convenience store; and a K9 training area with kennels

There also will be additional classrooms and offices, a cafeteria, and a dedicated driver-training building for joint use.

---

Chris DeChant is the training division chief for the Glendale (Aria.) Fire Department, where he has served for 11 years. He holds associate's degrees in fire science and advanced emergency medical technology, a bachelor's degree in public safety administration, and a master's degree in educational leadership.

Jim Higgins has been with the Glendale (Aria.) Fire Department for more than 28 years and currently is the assistant chief over operations, training, personnel, and safety and health. He was the project manager for the design, construction and opening of the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center. Higgins holds an associate's degree in fire science, a bachelor's degree in industrial safety and a master's degree in educational leadership. He teaches in the EM'S and fire science programs.

Are Donated Structures too Good to be True

Training books are good for teaching the mechanics of fighting a fire, but nothing can provide the realism of using a donated structure for training. These structures are a welcome gift, but there could be strings attached.

For example, the building owner may have plans to rebuild and may want the land vacated by a deadline. It's important to act quickly but thoughtfully to avoid unanticipated risk. Work with legal counsel ahead of time to incorporate appropriate risk transfer language into a template contract for accepting donated structures. Elements of an agreement should:

• Authorize and consent for use of property between owner and department.
• Describe that personnel will enter premises to destroy, demolish or otherwise ruin the building for training purposes.
• Release department from any and all demands or claims related to damages.
• Release and indemnify the owner from any claims of personal injury or damage to any property owned by a third party as a result of fire department activities.

Legal counsel also can develop a template property release between the owner and the department to spell out the physical property location; dates to commence and end training; and agreed-on measures concerning salvage, live burns, and rescind rights.

Buildings should be carefully inspected to identify and abate all environmentally regulated materials that may pose a hazard to firefighters during evolutions. To prepare a donated structure for training, fire agencies should secure a consultant and contractor to:

• Identify, test and abate any hazardous or biological materials.
• Identify and remove other regulated materials such as refrigerants, halon, mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls.
• Determine special handling and disposal requirements.

NFPA 1403, Live Fire Training Evolutions, requires:

• A list of prohibited fuels.
• A safety officer.
• Firefighter briefing on the structure and location of exits.
• 5-to-1 instructor-to-student ratio with a back-up instructor.
• On-site EMS.

The standard also states that no personnel shall play the role of a victim and that only one fire at a time is permitted in acquired structures.

In addition, NFPA 1500, Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, has guidelines for fire agencies to establish and maintain a training and education program to prevent occupational deaths, injuries and illnesses that are commensurate with the duties and functions that firefighters are expected to perform. NFPA 1500 maintains that live-fire evolutions should conform to NFPA 1403.

In addition to the NFPA standards on firefighter safety, Occupational Safety and Health Administration has numerous employee safety requirements related to respiratory protection, blood-borne pathogens and confined-space rescue.

The common problems that fire agencies face when deciding whether to accept a donated structure for training are how to pay for the identification, removal and clearance testing of hazardous or biological materials encountered in the structure and how to coordinate this work in an expeditious manner so that they do not delay the building owners scheduled demolition.

Hazmat removal may cost thousands of dollars and not be worth the investment. The fire agency should develop a process to assess whether or not a donated structure is a cost-effective training opportunity. The hazmat consultant can provide a cost estimate.

When hiring a consultant, be sure to check references and ask for licenses and insurance. Departments should hire the contractor and consultant separately to avoid conflict of interest. They also should ensure that the consultant is responsible for providing written communication to all regulatory agencies that have hazmat-removal notification requirements. Finally departments should require written hazmat removal and air clearance sampling results and reports, including an executive summary indicating that the facility is free of hazardous materials that may be disturbed during training operations.

Donated structures don't come around very often, so be prepared when the opportunity arises. Remember the time constraints of the building owner and decide if it is reasonable and worth the investment. Plan training dates in advance so that you can use the facility as soon as it is available and safe for use. By using this information, departments can address potential legal implications as well as safety-related issues to create a safe environment for firefighter training.
— Paul Horvat, Consultant & Div. Chief Eric Aasen Santa Cruz (Calif.) Fire Department

Traps Turn Facilities Into Disasters

Interact Business Groups 7 Traps Booklet highlights the seven most common traps that can turn a training facility into a disaster. Those traps include:

1. Not knowing the preliminary site and equipment requirements

   Picking the site might be the most important decision a fire department makes, so take your time with it. Look at your operation from a long-range perspective. What's a good deal today may not be adequate in 10 or 20 years.

   Equipment is constantly changing, and information is overwhelming. Ask for help. Do the footwork now to benefit your training center in the future.

2. Not knowing how the training facility will be used

   Develop a broad perspective when it comes to planning for current and future use. How will you meet the directives of your training regulations? What about specialized needs in your community?

3. Losing focus on the training assets and priorities at the facility

   Determine the highest priority facility asset based on your needs assessment. If you are faced with a tight budget, you may have to make some concessions in your initial plan.

4. Underestimating the cost to build the training facility

   Don't get caught in this stage of planning or your project may be delayed or cancelled. Estimate your budget too low, and it may be suspect; estimate too high, and it may not make it past its first review.

5. Failing to establish ongoing annual operation costs

   It's easy to get caught up in all the costs necessary to build the facility. Building the facility is only half of the financial challenge; the other half is maintaining the annual operation costs. Failure to cover this budget item from the beginning will affect future use.

6. Failing to establish a clear benefit analysis

   Throughout the project planning process, continually ask yourself what makes your project stand out. Why will budget managers want to choose your project over others? Failure to establish project cost benefits may kill your project before the funding analysis begins.

7. Failing to establish a clear road map for the project

   Fully assess the needs of the facility, and leaving no major questions unanswered. Your well-thoughtout strategic business plan will show those that you have thoroughly researched the project.
   — Bill Booth, President & CEO Interact Business Group