Disaster Prep Training Facility Opens Doors in Perry
NewsCentral Producer
Story Created:
Nov 15, 2012 at 6:38 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Nov 15, 2012 at 8:43 PM EDT
An 830 acre disaster preparation training facility in Perry opened its doors for a short tour Thursday, as it nears total completion.
The facility, owned by a company named Guardian Centers, is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, offering organizations from the U.S. military to private defense contractors and disaster relief workers a chance to train for almost any circumstance in real life situations, together.
"Not only are you going to have that collaboration and inter-agency work, but also in the way of opportunity to build and replicate what goes on in a natural disaster to create that realism," said Guardian Centers Vice President of Operations and former U.S, Marine Tim Maloney.
In order to make it real, the Guardian Centers offers five miles of roadway including more than a mile of four lane Interstate, a 75 acre city scape, a neighborhood capable of flooding up to eight feet, and a subway station to simulate a terrorist attack.
Guardian Centers CEO Geoff Burkart says the facility will accommodate 30,000 people a year which is estimated to generate $75 million for the local economy. The facility will also employ 100 local staff.
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