The NC Emergency Training Center (NCETC) is an innovative facility designed to provide advanced, scenario-based training for firefighters, emergency responders, and military personnel. Its comprehensive programs and realistic environments aim to enhance emergency response education and interagency collaboration. Emphasizing regional and national interagency collaboration, NCETC is poised to become the nation’s leading facility for preparing professionals to handle the complexities of an array of emergencies.
- Client: NC Air National Guard, the Office of State Fire Marshal, and Stanly County
- Location: New London, NC
- Size: 57 Acres
- Delivery Method: Design-Build
A Groundbreaking Training Facility for Emergency Response
The NCETC is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the NC Air National Guard, the Office of State Fire Marshal, and Stanly County, creating a premier, 57-acre training destination in New London, NC. As only the second facility of its kind in the nation, NCETC is expertly designed to advance emergency response education through highly realistic, scenario-based training environments for firefighters, emergency responders, and military personnel.
Cutting-Edge Facilities
NCETC delivers some of the most immersive and secure emergency response training available today. Every structure, simulator, and system on campus is designed to replicate real-world emergency conditions while meeting rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness, and environmental responsibility. With a strong emphasis on regional and national interagency collaboration, the NCETC is poised to become the nation’s leading facility for preparing professionals to manage the escalating complexity of natural disasters and other types of emergencies.
Phase 1: Advanced Rescue Training Campus
The 29-acre Advanced Rescue Training Campus supports a wide spectrum of advanced programs, including Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF), Swiftwater Rescue (SWR), Urban Search & Rescue (USAR), Hazardous Materials Response, and Fire Investigation. The training provided at the NCETC is grounded in hands-on realism and practical application. Key features include:
- A 4,350,000-gallon SWR training complex with a Swiftwater channel, low-head dam, training pond with deep-water dive area, and an urban flood streetscape
- A full-scale 737/C130 ARFF trainer
- A 3,500-gallon Jet-A hydrocarbon burn pit
- Advanced simulation equipment supporting live, scenario-based exercises
These assets provide a comprehensive platform for responders to train in the same challenging conditions they will face in the field.
Phase 2: Operations Campus
Currently under construction, the 28-acre Operations Campus will extend NCETC’s capabilities and transform it into a fully integrated training and operations hub. Planned components include:
- Dormitory Building: A 118-bed facility with a dining hall, kitchen, classrooms, and office space to support multi-day and residential training
- Resiliency Warehouse: Dedicated state and county emergency operations storage to bolster readiness and rapid deployment
- Stanly County 911 and Emergency Operations Center (EOC): A mission-critical hub for emergency management and real-time response coordination
By uniting advanced training infrastructure, operational support, and interagency collaboration on a single campus, the NCETC sets a new standard for how communities and agencies prepare for, respond to, and recover from the most demanding emergency scenarios.