First responder training at vacant Bernhard Center Nov. 10-12

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University's vacated Bernhard Center is slated to be the backdrop for an intensive first responder training program scheduled for Friday through Sunday, Nov. 10-12.

Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) personnel, along with firefighters and other first responders from various municipalities across the country, will use the building for a three-day exercise. The training is supported by the Gary Sinise Foundation, which as part of its mission empowers first responders with essential training to better serve their communities through educational programs and training seminars.

Throughout the weekend at Western, first responder vehicles—including a fire engine—will be stationed outside the Bernhard Center.

Kalamazoo Fire Marshal Scott Brooks highlighted the exceptional nature of the training venue. The spacious and unoccupied Bernhard Center offers a rare chance for first responders to engage in realistic, scenario-based drills.

These exercises are designed to emulate the complexities first responders face in actual emergencies, such as navigating large structures, contending with obscured visibility and coordinating efforts in a maze of rooms across various floors. To enhance the realism, trainers may darken the building's interior and deploy artificial smoke.

"It's pretty rare, even throughout the country, that you would have such an expansive building like this to utilize," says Brooks, remarking on the uniqueness of such opportunities. He also noted that KDPS  has worked with the University on past trainings and is grateful for the partnership.

WMU's own Department of Public Safety previously capitalized on the empty Bernhard Center this past summer, conducting a comprehensive training operation, reinforcing the University's ongoing commitment to public safety readiness.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.