Guernsey's Design Increases Efficiencies for Police & Fire Training

With a swing of the ceremonial ax, the ribbon fell to mark the opening of the new Midwest City Police & Fire Training Center.

The significant $5-million project, which received voter approval in 2018, was designed to support both the police and fire departments. The primary goal was to create a centrally located facility within the city. This facility not only enhances training capabilities but also ensures that there is no negative impact to on-call response times for the community while it is in use.

Guernsey's architectural team played a crucial role in the early stages of the project by designing a 2,200 square-foot training facility and adjacent out-building. The centerpiece of this new center is a spacious, state-of-the-art training room with high-tech capability to accommodate a wide range of visual training requirements as well as having the flexibility for practicing moderate physical training. Additionally, the facility offers a smaller conference room that provides a more intimate setting for break-out sessions or smaller-scale training sessions.

One of the most unique features of this facility is the burn tower, seamlessly integrated into the training center to serve both the police and fire departments. This four-story structure, custom-built from shipping containers, will serve as a tactical training tool for the police. It will also be used for firefighting training and search and rescue operations by the fire department.

Guernsey has established a strong and ongoing partnership with the leadership in Midwest City, having previously worked on projects such as the renovation of Fire Station 1 and the design of the sports complex at the city’s Multi-Athletic Center.