CPI to Run Emergency Training Site

By Anne Danahy, The Centre Daily Times, State College, Pa.

Dec. 12–BELLEFONTE — Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology will run everything at the new Centre County emergency training site under an agreement approved by the county Tuesday.

The agreement by the Board of Commissioners calls for the county to provide as much as $100,000 a year for administration of the Public Safety Training Center.

Todd Taylor, director of CPI’s adult and postsecondary education, said the school’s board approved the agreement Monday night.

“This has been a long process that’s really come to a culmination in a beautiful facility,” Taylor said.

He said CPI will be responsible for management of the facility, including administration, scheduling, help from support staff and janitorial work.

The new Safety Training Center occupies 18 acres in Spring Township near CPI and has an outdoor classroom, fire tower, roof simulator and firefighting practice building. An emergency vehicle operators course is being added.

CPI and the county are in the process of filling a new position to manage the site.

Along with providing emergency workers with a free training ground, plans for the site include offering courses, such as commercial driver’s license programs, that could generate revenue.

Commissioner Chris Exarchos said the expectation is that once the facility is up and running, it will begin to pay for itself. The approved agreement lasts until Sept. 30, 2017. Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648.

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