This facility received a Training Facilities Silver Award in Firehouse's 2019 Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here.
The Chester County Tactical Village is a campus for joint use training between fire, EMS, and police. The four-acre complex is organized along a sloping site that creates dynamic and realistic training environments. It is equipped with the MILES system, a technology that utilizes blank gun cartridges and sensors, allowing responders to experience hostage, active shooter, and mass casualty scenarios.
The burn building provides eight class “A” burn rooms which are also utilized by police for search and entry training. The building is designed to allow students to experience unique training evolutions for each drill. The core of the building features a two-story adjustable maze, residential stair to a simulated basement, and commercial stair tower extending through the roof. When entering the building from the street, responders experience a residential setting whereas entering from the rear presents a commercial/industrial environment.
The five-story drill tower is designed for fire, police and EMS personnel. The first two floors of the drill tower provide search and rescue capabilities. Floor/ceiling breach props connect these two levels to create a dynamic training environment which is further augmented by a “scissor stair” of intertwining residential and commercial stairs. The third and fourth floor of the building provide four rooms housing class “B” props. The fifth floor and rooftop provide advanced ropework and rappelling capabilities.
The second phase consists of a 33,500 sq. ft. indoor facility consisting of classrooms, simulation labs, offices, firing ranges, defensive tactics rooms, and break rooms. The building provides an environment for all first responders to train in both academic and practicum scenarios. The ranges provide three training conditions: twelve 50-yard tactical lanes capable of housing regional transportation buses; four 100-yard lane static position firing range for counter-sniper training; and a 50’x50’ shoot house with adjustable maze panels and an instructor mezzanine.
Architect/Firm Name: Manns Woodward Studios, Inc. (Phase I & II) in association with Stewart Cooper Newell Architects for Phase I.
