Guardian Centers: An Unparalleled Training Facility for First Responders

Guardian Centers of Georgia looks to be the most impressive first responder training facility in the country if not the world. The scope of the compound is mind bending, especially when you start to look at what scenarios they are able to replicate all in one location.

As a private sector facility, they are ready to meet any clients needs night and day. These needs may range from flooded homes to crumbling office buildings and crushed vehicles but the key is that the level of realism here is incredible.

Guardian Centers sits on a total of 830 acres and features a complex infrastructure and metroplex. The facility can accomodate up to 7,000 participants to train throughout the year.

To meet the nation’s need, Guardian Centers are designed as fully operational, modern cityscape simulators that allow emergency responders to realistically test their ability to deal with real-world manmade and natural disaster situations.  The Guardian Centers have been designed specifically to provide facilities for training and plan validation exercises that simulate all eight scenarios and test 14 of the 15 functional capabilities defined in the National Response Framework.

Possible Scenarios

They can cover a multitude of scenarios in an extreme manner of realism.

• Technical Rescue
  • Two city blocks of collapsed structures for rope rescue and breaching
  • Dynamic flooring systems can be moved in order to simulate everything from confined spaces to vehicle extrication
• CBRNE and HAZMAT
  • Laboratories simulate Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high yield Explosives attacks and threats
• Subway System Environment
  • Fully enclosed 1,700 ft dual rail system with eight subway cars
  • Can simulate day or night, hot or cold, and include special effects such as water, smoke, sparks and noise
• Residential Flooding
  • 5.5 million gallon container has the ability to flood up to 8 feet deep
  • Eight multi-room concrete homes  can be furnished to further increase realism
• Road and Highway Operations
  • 5 miles of surface streets and perimeter roads
  • 1 mile of four lane, DOT spec  simulated Interstate with entrance and exit ramps

On site is a 102,000 sq ft administration building that acts as the advanced control center for the simulation city. This building also features conference rooms, offices and even a cafeteria for staff, role players and trainees.

In terms of forward operations control and observation, there is a three-story operations center building directly in the middle of the simulation city for use during training.

On the rooftop of that building is a FAA certified helipad capable of supporting helicopters up to a UH-60 Blackhawk. They are currently testing  the addition of other designated landing zones as well.

Not much compares to the realism they are able to create. The designers view the facility as an investment and know that when disaster strikes, teams trained here will surely be prepared.

For more information, visit Guardian Centers online.