CARLSBAD, Calif. (KGTV) -- First responders in Carlsbad are prepared for any emergency, thanks to their state of the art training facility.
"This is how we become good," says Carlsbad Fire Captain Scott Tucker. "This is our hallowed ground where we get to spend all the time, make the mistakes here, so we don't make them out there."
The Carlsbad Safety Training Center spans four acres. It includes a four-story live burn tower, a two-story home, and a main street replica. It also has two shooting ranges, classrooms, and computer simulation rooms.
The parking lot can also be used for driving simulations and tests.
"It's realistic training," says Carlsbad Police Captain Peter Pascual. "The officers can utilize what they learn in the training environment, out in the field."
The shooting ranges are adaptable, letting agencies set up different scenarios. They can even drive cars into the range.
"It allows us to get in the right frame of mind in how to survive and solve these problems in the field," says Pascual. "We try to create scenarios that are realistic and functional for the success of the officers in the field."
"It allows us to get a good foundation in training and build on stuff that we normally don't get to do," says Tucker.
Facility Manager Jason Kennedy says the complex tries to stay as modern as possible, always adding more ways to train.
"We're always looking forward, cause training is so dynamic," says Kennedy. "We're trying to look forward at what things are emerging in the environment."
The facility has become so popular, other state and federal agencies have rented the facility from Carlsbad for their own training events.
This year, 28 different agencies from around California and the rest of the United States have booked time to train in Carlsbad. Hundreds have stopped by either for tours or training since it opened.
"It is movie-esque," says Tucker. "It's an amazing facility, and it is state of the art."
To learn more about the facility, click here.
