Public Safety Training Center: Immersive and Dynamic Simulations for First Responders

The Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) at Austin Community College (ACC) is a state-of-the-art LEED Silver certified facility designed to augment training for the regional labor force and first responder skills. Since opening in 2018, over 100 public and private agencies involving more than 6,100 personnel have trained at the PSTC. Integrated within its 35 acres are a 50-yard indoor firearms range, 8,000 square foot tactical training venue, and emergency vehicle operations course, customizable for real-world exercises. The PSTC provided an opportunity for the Criminal Justice, Emergency Management, and Emergency Medical Technician programs to develop regional 911 Dispatch Training. It also brought eight college programs together to develop an interdisciplinary advanced drone certificate. The ongoing success of the ACC PSTC generates state and national attention and serves as a model for replication.

Innovators: Melissa Brown, Deborah Femat, Gloria Gutierrez, Gerald Hildebrand, Bridget Lott, Mike Martinez, Jim Molloy, Giao Phan, Gretchen Riehl, Dale Toler