BRISTOL TOWNSHIP (CBS) – Bucks County officials have broken ground on a new public safety training facility that will be located in the lower part of the county.

The center will be located on River Road in Bristol Township. It will offer training programs for the public and private sectors including safety training in firefighting, emergency management and emergency medical training. The state of the art complex will include a “burn building” and a “chemical prop pad” for training in tanker fires, hazardous spills and gas emergencies.

County Commissioner Jim Cawley:

“We’re hopeful that this is going to encourage those that are already in service and attract new dedicated individuals to emergency training.”

Cawley says the second training facility will allow for much shorter commute times for public safety vehicles. The other safety center is in Doylestown and the hope is to have the new $7 million facility up and running within 18 months.

Reported by Brad Segall, KYW Newsradio