Grand Forks officials will have to look elsewhere to fund its emergency response training center.
The city did not receive a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant worth nearly $2 million that would have assisted in building the training center. The grant was instead awarded to five other projects. Grand Forks Fire Chief Peter O'Neill said not receiving the grant isn't a setback for the project but will allow everyone involved in the process more time to rethink how the city wants to move forward with the center.
An early budget, prepared for the grant application, estimated the project, including land purchase, would cost $3.4 million
"Obviously, we're disappointed we didn't get it," O'Neill said. "It will just further the discussions on the potential to start the center."
O'Neill said the city has not applied for any other grants related to the project, but if one become available, the city would consider applying for it. The specialized emergency response training center would be the second such center in the nation. Security and Emergency Response Training Center, known as SERTC, offers training services that are part of the Association of American Railroads. The only other one, which exists in Pueblo, Colo., provides public and private emergency responders, including those in Grand Forks, with training on hazardous materials and emergency response.