Law enforcement personnel from around the world now have access to a state-of-the-art facility in which to train for various situations that could involve radiological material: Tennessee’s Emergency Response Training Facility (ERTF) on the west end of Oak Ridge.
Local, state and national officials gathered at the ERTF on Monday morning to celebrate its grand opening
At ERTF, first responders can learn from Y-12 National Security Complex trainers who are experts in radioactive sources, according to a news release from Y-12 and the company that manages and operates it, Consolidated Nuclear Security. As outlined in the release, hospitals, universities and laboratories often have radiological material that could be used for nefarious purposes if stolen, and local law enforcement agencies might not be prepared to respond to such crimes or to connecting emergencies.
The $15 million, 40,000-square-foot ERTF was funded by the state and developed by Roane County, led by the Roane Alliance, the county’s economic development organization. ERTF has offices for teaching staff, augmented and virtual reality rooms and traditional classrooms to provide immersive first-responder training.
Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center
“ERTF is the first facility to begin operations at the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC), 3607 Oak Ridge Turnpike, the new nuclear security and training campus funded with federal and state dollars. The second facility will be the federally funded Simulated Nuclear and Radiological Activities Facility (SNRAF). When complete, SNRAF will serve as a technology demonstration space and train those responsible for safeguarding nuclear and radioactive material in the latest nuclear security, detection and nonproliferation technologies,” the release stated.
“These facilities will not only provide a much-needed regional training venue, but also provide significant benefits to the local economy,” Roane County Executive Wade Creswell said.
CNS President and CEO Rich Tighe noted that the trainees coming to ORETTC’s facilities will generate tax revenue for state and local governments.
The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Global Material Security, one of the federal programs set to use the facility, will provide state-of-the-art training for law enforcement and other responders to prevent the theft of high-risk radioactive material. This training will improve US security and build an international network of radiological and nuclear security practitioners.
“Before this facility, we had inadequate training space to prepare our first responders for an increasingly complex environment,” Tighe stated. “At the same time, demand has grown for the unique training available at Y-12. The Emergency Response Training Facility meets those needs, and will help set the bar for outstanding emergency response and the protection of infrastructure during complex conditions.”