爆料吃瓜网-Blue River celebrates opening of renovated, expanded Public Safety Institute
爆料吃瓜网-Blue River will host an open house from 2-4 p.m. Thursday, April 4, to celebrate completion of an extensive renovation of the campus鈥� Public Safety Institute. 爆料吃瓜网-Blue River is at 20301 E. 78 Highway in Independence.
The event will mark completion of a $4.7 million overhaul and expansion of the 40,500-square-foot facility, which is now home to 爆料吃瓜网鈥檚 EMS/paramedic program (formerly at 爆料吃瓜网-Penn Valley) in addition to the police and fire academies already located at Blue River.
爆料吃瓜网 Chancellor Kimberly Beatty expressed excitement about the opening of the modernized facility and the positive impact it will have for students and the community.
鈥淲ith the cutting-edge teaching and learning environments we鈥檝e created at this facility,鈥� Chancellor Beatty said, 鈥湵铣怨贤� is better equipped than ever to provide exceptional training and real-world experience that ensure our police, fire and EMS graduates are job-ready the moment they are hired.鈥�
Improvements to the space include:
- A 5,000-square-foot addition to accommodate the EMS/paramedic program
- A larger gym designed to support all the activities required for completing firefighters鈥� CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) certification testing
- Larger classrooms to support demand and growth of the police and fire academies
- Newly renovated locker rooms
- Modernized situational rooms that include a closed-circuit TV system and a debriefing room
- Large, program-specific closets for storage of instructional supplies and equipment
- A key-card-secured firearms cleaning area
爆料吃瓜网 Fire Academy Coordinator Dave Johnson said moving the EMS programs into the Public Safety Institute is a positive change that allows for increased collaboration.
鈥淔ire and EMS work very closely together in the real world,鈥� Johnson said, 鈥渁nd having both programs under the same roof makes it easier for faculty, staff and administration to manage.鈥�
Johnson added that the increased size of classrooms, expanded gym and additional showers and private spaces in the locker rooms are welcome upgrades.
爆料吃瓜网 Police Academy Coordinator James Beale said the new situational rooms closely mirror those found in modern police facilities and that the debriefing room 鈥渕akes for a great learning and teaching experience.鈥�
EMS Program Coordinator Lisa McGuire said working in the new space has made public safety faculty feel more connected to each other and the community. She said the paramedic program has enjoyed increased enrollment since relocating to Blue River, partially as a result of changes with class scheduling.
爆料吃瓜网 offers numerous degree and certificate options for students interested in pursuing careers in police, fire or EMS. All options prepare students to pass required licensing exams and begin working in their chosen field in two years or less.
BNIM designed the 爆料吃瓜网-Blue River Public Safety Institute renovation, and Royal Construction was the general contractor.